Slayer War
by Paladin Steelbreaker
Summary: 17 years ago, the unimaginable happened. Buffy was turned. After runing havock for half a year she disappeared. Now another Slayer Vampire has been created, and its up to the gang to fight it.
1. Chapter 1

Author: Paladin Steelbreaker

Title: Slayer War

Copyright: March 2001

Rating: ? (Strongly violent scenes)

Spoilers: Buffy: up until the end of season 3.

Keywords: Vampiric slayers.

Summary:  The year is 2014. 17 years ago it happened what nobody thought possible. Buffy Anne Summers, The Slayer. Was turned by Spike. In six months she ran a campaign of horror that made Angelus look like a sissy. quickly earning her status as the most vicious and strong vampire ever. The Invulnerable. Then she suddenly disappeared. Ever since, the Scooby Gang has lived in fear of her return. They has managed to put their lives back together. But that fear always follows them, where ever they go. Then they suddenly get a calling from Christopher Giles, the head of The Watchers Council. The tower has been attacked by a Slayer Vampire. This one Enya Tompson, now calling herself Death, are planning to bring forth hell on earth. It falls upon the survivors of The Invulnerable, to try to stop her. But then The Invulnerable herself returns. Claiming to want to save the world. Saying she, like her sire, like this world. With its easy meals. But something is not right. Something is definitely not right.  

Legalese: All characters except those noted below with their respective rights, properties and copyrights are the property of their respective creators, authors, owners, producers and agencies. These characters are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended or meant, and no money will be made from this story. This story may be copied in its entirety, and may be distributed as long as all copyright information remains.

The characters Enya Tompson (Death), Christopher Giles, Patrick O`Malley, The Invulnerable(Not normal Buffy),Erick Crighton, Alicia Saunders, Arthur Antonov, Constanza Gonzales, Andrea Peters. Ishmael Anderson, Rose Camden, Indra lightfoot, are mine. Did you hear that! Mine! Mine!! Mine!!! (uh,sorry. I got kind of carried away) Anyone wishing to use them may contact me at pal-o-lo@online.no

Author's Notes: Shortly after I started reading fanfics, I started making them myself. But I never released any of them. They just heaped up on my computer, until I had close to forty of them. Then the catastrophe struck. Somehow all my stories were whiped off my computer. (Yeah,Yeah! I know I should have made backups) I was really pissed off of myself (and my computer), for about two days. Then I sat down by the PC again. Deciding to reconstruct my stories as best I could. But I soon had to make a halt in this work, cause something came in the way. Namely this story. That popped into my brain, and lead to two weeks of writing cramps. 

Author's Notes 2: Okay as you guys see, Im back. Hopefully with a new and better version of Slayer War. Last time, I got a lot of angry mails, telling me to stopp butchering the English language. Well it aint so easy to write a story of more than sixty pages, in a language that isn't your own. Well, no matter. I would like to appologise for my bad English, and I have tried to do something about it. I even got me a beta reader from the states. Unfortunatelly I lost contact with him after we finished fixing this storry.  

Author's Notes 3: And if someone wonders about Xanders partner in the FBI, try reading the Cat Claw comick books. Carrol O`Connor, Warlock, Eithne and Cammeron Hill all belong to the genious Branislav Keratz (Bane Kerac). 

Author`s Notes 4:  Geeee(will he ever stop). Thank you Mike for informing me of my lack of history knowledge. Sorry about that. I noticed you didn't sign. Don`t worry I aint angry. I am thankfull for all the **constructive **critisism I get. 

Dedications: I would like to dedicate this story, how ever amateurish, to some of the greatest fanfic authors out there. Namely:

Steven Pantovich

Tim Knight

Mike Weyer

Nick Midian

Saber Shadowkitten

Akraen

Joseph B

And the ones responsible for the magnificent stories/Series: 

Winters are always harsh (and the sequel) 

years later/year inn, year out.

Sorry that your names have slipped from my mind. You did a wonderful job. Your stories, were among the few first ones that I read. The ones that woke my interest for fanfic. Sadly I don't seem to find those stories on the internet anymore. With the exeption for Winters are always harsh. Are there somebody out there that knows where to find them?

If you want to comment on my story.(please, please,PLEASE!!) Compliments, or firespitting criticism. Or if you know where I can find the before mentioned "Missing" stories, you are welcome to mail me

At this address: pal-o-lo@online.no 

And now finally on with the story:

**Slayer War**

_And as certain as the first wil create horror,_

_Holding the Sunny town in a grip of terror. _

_The second, will bind the world in chains of terror, _

_If the guardian council no longer guard the chosen_

Tiberius Manifesto 

****************************************

_June 2. __2014. Location: The Councils Tower_

_Outside the city of Swansea, Wales._

_15.55.am.                                                                          _

**_Bloodshed!!!_**

**_(Death walks amongst the watchers)_****__**

__

Panic ruled in the corridors of The Councils Tower. Smoke clouded sight, and death screams seemed to come from everywhere. Their biggest nightmare had come true. A slayer had been turned and was now launching a full-scale attack on the Council. 

The Council's leader tried desperately to calm Council members and Watchers in order to lead them to the secret exits in the basement storage room. He guarded them from behind and tried to fend of the vampires that were swarming after them. But they were too many. And he began to wear out. 

Tears ran down his face as he prepared to die. It was his entire fault, and now it was judgement day. He couldn't look over his shoulder; he only hoped that the others had managed to get away so that his death at least would accomplish some good. He breathed deeply and felt the battle rage rise in him as two huge vampires came through the door. Since he was the twin brother of a slayer he had inherited a small amount of slayer powers. That, together with his highly trained body, made him a formidable opponent. But to fight off two giant vampires in the shape he was now was too much even for him. 

He sent a roundhouse kick to the head of one of them. And punched the other in the groin. As the second vampire bent over in pain, he staked it, and turned around to meet the other. 

When he felt the cold blade of a dagger enter his chest, it was as if an electric shock went through his body. Strangely he didn't feel any pain, just a cold and calculating almost-amusement over how his body turned numb. He wondered for a split second how much time he had remaining, then the battle rage overwhelmed him again. He kicked and struck, but he had no strength remaining. Still, he provoked the vampire to attack. 

"What are you waiting for, you bloodsucking son of a bitch? Its not as if your not capable of it. What's the matter with you, kill me!" The vampire grabbed him and leaned in for the bite, when he suddenly screamed and burst into a cloud of dust. 

About five metres away a blonde vampire stood, crossbow in hand. With great fear, he recognised her as the first Slayer Vampire in history. The Invulnerable was back, and obviously, for some reason none too pleased with Enyas actions.  Maybe she was pissed that she hadn't thought of destroying the Council first. As his life flashed before his eyes, Mr. Giles prepared for a long and painful death.

Then she did something strange. She bowed to him. "You're welcome," she said to the stunned Watcher. Then she turned to face about ten vampires that came hurtling through the door. Mr. Giles didn't pause to wonder what had just happened. He leaped through the secret exit and sealed it with a small detonation of C4.

Christopher Giles, the leader of the Watchers Council, ran as fast as he could. Behind him lay the smoking ruins of The Council's tower. And the Council was spread with the wind. Hell! He didn't even know if the others were alive. Most of the ordinary Watchers were dead. Hunted down like animals. 

He choked on his sobs. Everything had gone wrong; the earth was doomed, and all because The Council, in their arrogance and self-proclaimed superiority, had ignored the warnings from Ethan Mutabe. The Watcher of the then current Slayer. He had asked again and again for help, when he and Enya had fought against one of the ancient ones. As a result, they had both been turned. 

For the second time in history a slayer had been turned. The first time was when 17 years ago, Buffy Anne Summers was turned by Spike. In half a year she had wreaked havoc as the unbeatable vampire called The Invulnerable. Then she had suddenly disappeared. The word was that her former Watcher, Rupert Giles, had killed her. But it was a whole other story with Enya. She had now been a constant threat to humanity for two years. 

And now she had decided to take down the society of Watchers, as a step in her plans to destroy humanity. Five slayers had been sent after her, but none could stand against her. Only the legendary once dark slayer, Faith, had survived, if you could call it that. She was now in a deep coma. And in a desperate need of a blood transfusion. But there was no new slayer that could donate.

And in the mean time, Enya had launched a full-scale assault on the tower. With fifty of her minions, she had wiped out almost the entire Watcher society in less than three hours.

Chris felt an odd tingling run down his neck, and knew that at least one vampirewas after him. His lungs were on fire, as his chest exploded in delayed pain reaction from the dagger wound. Half-crazed laughter ripped through him as he recalled the feeling of the bastards dust against his face. The pain forced him to his knees, and tears welled up in his eyes, as he saw his family for his inner sight. 

He turned to face his enemies with his last stake in hand.  Everything was his fault. He deserved to die, but he would die fighting. At least he would take with him a few vampires. He looked around. Slowly a dozen vampires circled him. With great effort, he rose to his feet, glaring at them defiantly. 

"What? Are you going twelve against little me? I'm flattered. Maybe you do have a brain after all".  

He summoned his last reserves _of strength and assumed an advanced fighting stance, when his jaw dropped in awe. His attackers had, in quick succession, exploded into dust. In front of him stood a dangerous looking blonde. It was the vampire that had saved him earlier. Now without her vampiric visage showing, she would have seemed fragile, if not for the palpable rage emanating from her._

"They never learn to watch their backs," she stated with an evil smirk. What?" She asked, as she looked at the dumbstruck Watcher. "Haven't you seen a vampiric vampire hunter before? And you call yourself a Watcher? Well don't just stand there. Get your feet going! We have to get outta here. There are more of them coming this way". 

He tried to do as she said, but finally his body gave up, and he fell to the ground. 

"Shit!! Why did you have to do that", she murmured as she lifted him and slung him over her shoulder. She started to run through the forest at a quick pace. 

"Damn it" she cursed to her self. "I hate it when they do that". Her senses told her that vampires were coming her way, lots of them. 

"Bloody hell! I can't believe I'm running like a scared chicken", she growled. With that she climbed a tree, and began moving from tree to tree in an attempt to shake her pursuers. 

Five minutes later she reached the road on the other side of the forest and got into her car. And as she broke every speed limit her eyes glinted bright yellow, as the embodiment of pure murderous desire.

_***************************************************************************_

June 3. 2014. Location: The Invulnerable's temporary lair 

The city of Swansea. Wales

17.12.pm.

Christopher Giles awoke to his own scream of pain, and saw The Invulnerable standing over him. "Sorry about the pain," she said, although she didn't seem very sorry at all. "But I had to disinfect your chest wound. And the only thing I have is alcohol". 

"Here. Drink some. It will help a bit". 

He grabbed the glass she gave him, and gasped for breath as almost pure alcohol ran down his throat and exploded into heat in his stomach. He watched as she tended to his wound with the skill of one that had done it countless times before. Then she propped him up with some pillows. 

"Now, tell me what happened. Who blew up the Council's tower? And why was the place crawling with vampires? Who the hell did this?! I saw the corpses of Watchers and their families all over the place".

"I even saw a little girl that was nailed to a tree. She was still breathing, although her wrists were slit and a stake penetrated her abdomen. All I could do for her was end her suffering". 

"I saw body parts everywhere. I haven't seen such brutality since..." she silenced. Pacing the floor furiously. Then she stopped in front of him again. "Tell me, and by god, I'm going to kill him". 

He watched her in shock as her rage grew, and slowly changed her appearance to the most extreme vampiric visage he had ever seen. 

"Oh spare me the bullshit. Don't pretend that you cared," he snorted, an involuntary groan of pain escaping him. "You probably got high on it, or worse". 

"Why should I tell you? You are one of them," he said as he with out hope tried for the door. But he didnt get far before she grabbed him in a grip of steel, and he thought that his last moment was in. 

"No," she said, as her face changed back to human. "I'm not one of them. I'm something else. But I swear that if you don't tell me what's going on, I will have your blood for dinner". 

He looked into her eyes and saw her sincerity. This woman would kill him if he didnt do as she said. He cleared his throat and started telling about the mission the Council had sent the Slayer on, and how the calls for assistance from her and her Watcher were ignored.  Leading to the turning of both of them. 

Then he told about the plan she had to destroy the world. He told about the prophecy that said that she would rule the world when the Council of Watchers were dead. 

She was silent for a while, and then she burst out in a shower of cursing  that would scare the roughest blacksmith. Finally she calmed down and her vampiric visage melted away again. 

"We have to get hold of the rest of the Council, if they are still alive. 

Is there some way I can find them?" 

He hesitated for a moment. Should he tell her? 

Well Damit!, he thought. Extreme situations needs extreme solutions. 

"Yes there is," he said, hoping he wasn't dooming them all. "All of the members of the Council have a tracking device implanted in their backs. All we need is a receiver. The problem is that the receiver is destroyed, and we have to reach them before Enya does. And even if we get to them first, she can still destroy the world, as an act of vengeance. We are chanceless. The earth is doomed",he said miserably?

"And it's all our fault. Its my fault". Christopher Giles shook his head, and tears of despair sprang from his eyes. 

"Like hell if I'm giving up without a fight," The Invulnerable shouted. But you are right. We are chanceless on our own. We need help, and I know where to get it." 

He looked at her, puzzled. Suddenly she looked frightened. Who the hell could frighten the most vicious killer on earth? And why the hell did she want to help him. He was still pondering that when his body finally gave up and he slipped once again into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

_June 4. 2014. Location: Sunnydale_

_California.                  _

_10.34.am_

The Gathering (Well, the slayerette way, anyway) 

****

"Mom!! Where is my fishing equipment, Peter says there's a lake stacked with trout only a kilometre from their cabin."

"And Dad!!! Where did you lay my laptop? I can't find it, and Peter's parents are coming any minute now!!!" 

Joyce and Rupert Giles came through the door and into the hall, where their fourteen-year old son was roaming around like a confused chicken. 

"Calm down Ashley, Joyce said and hugged her son, who was beaming with excitement. "The fishing equipment and the laptop are already packed, although I almost had to wrestle the laptop from your father.

"He is turning into quite a computer nerd," she said jokingly as Giles started cleaning his glasses in an annoyed manner. He was about to return the insult as he saw it, when Jack and Vera Taleniekov came in the door. 

The parents of Ashley's best friend Peter, were the best neighbours one could think of, and a strong friendship had grown between the families over the years. It had become a tradition that they took turns every other year, taking the kids to summer vacation. 

This year it was the Taleniekovs' turn, and they were heading for the wilderness. But neither Joyce nor Rupert worried, knowing that Jack and Vera were experienced survivors in the wild. 

"OH NO! I forgot my knife," Ashley said and disappeared upstairs. Ten minutes later he came down with the knife Auntie Faith had given him a year earlier. 

Finally everything was okay and Ashley could go on the trip that he had been looking forwards to for months. After short goodbyes to his parents he practically flew out the door, followed by the Taleniekovs. 

"Puh, I never thought that he would be finished packing in time," Giles said as he kissed Joyce on her cheek. 

"Yeah, he is almost as hopeless packing as Buffy was," Joyce said and hugged her husband fiercely as the memories of her daughter flooded her mind. Even today, so many years later it still was painful to think about what happened to her. 

Seventeen years ago, it happened what nobody thought to be possible. Buffy, The Slayer, got turned by Spike. And in the next half a year, she had wreaked havoc in a way that made Angelus seem nice. 

For months she had tortured them in any way possible, and tried to kill them numerous times. It was only thanks to Angel and Rupert that they had survived. 

They had tried to stop the vampire that called herself The Invulnerable. But they quickly learned that she fitted the name. No matter how many times they tried to lay the soulcurse upon her, it didn't work. And their attempts at giving Buffy rest by killing her demon, were just as fruitless. None of that which normally hurt vampires, worked on her. Crosses, Holly water, or other religious icons, did not harm her at all. 

And Angel had proven that a wooden stake through the hart, only served to enrage her. He had even tried with a Molotov Coctail, but to no avail.  He just barely survived after that. And even worse, she could walk out during the day. Even on the sunniest of days. 

Joyce shivered by the thought of all the horror, and sorrow. Cause to watch this creature do so much evil, while wearing the face of her beloved daughter, were a sorrow so deep, she wouldn't have been abled to cope with it, if it hadn't been for Rupert, and the youngsters. Yeah, Rupert had been like a steady rock in a otherwise crumbling universe for her. He had always been there for her, even though he had his own griefe to deal with. And she had tried to do the same for him. 

And then the slayer vampire had just disappeared. Leaving them to wonder where she would pop upp next time. Fearing what she might do then. But she never came back. And to not know what had happened added even more pain to their burden even though they could stopp hiding, and start to live a "normal" life again. 

Normal? Nothing would ever be normal again, she had thought. But thinking back, life had gone on, and bit-by-bit everything had gone back to a somewhat normal state. Only, the pain remained in their harts like a deep wound that never fully healed. Even today it affected their lives. 

Suddenly she became aware that she was still hugging Rupert fiercely. With an effort she forced the sadness away, stepped back, and smiled wickedly. 

"At last! The house is empty. Just you and me. We can do anything we want. Anywhere we want." 

She kissed Giles passionately, and laughed when she saw him turn bright red. But then she saw that wicked glint in his eyes that she had learned to fear. And love!!. Before she knew it he had stepped behind her, with his hands under her T-shirt. Caressing her breasts. 

Joyce was already beginning to feel weak in her knees when the doorbell rang. With a giggle more fit for a teenager, than for a woman in her early fifties, she tore herself free and went to open the door. A few moments later she came back, pale as a ghost, with two telegrams in her hands. 

"What is it," Rupert asked. Is any of the gang I'll, or what?!" 

Joyce gave him the telegram addressed to him. And with unsteady voice she toldhim what he read. We have just been summoned before the leader of the Watchers Council. The Council you stopped serving under after Buffy's death. There appears to have been an attack on the tower by a Slayer Vampire." 

_***************************************************************************_

_4 June. 2014. Location: San Fransisco_

_The Concert Hall_

_23.24.p.m._

                                                                                                                          

The crowd was clapping and whistling like mad, crying for more as the members of the famous rock group Spellbound left the stage. Suddenly the scene turned pitch black, and the audience cheered even more in hope of getting an extra number. And they were rewarded for their effort. 

A single spotlight lit up. And they saw the beautiful red-haired vocalist walking towards them, seemingly floating on_ airlike a fairy. Then a second spotlight lit up, and the lead guitarist, her husband, appeared beside her. "Dear audience," she said with amazingly strong voice to come from such a slender frame. "We are sorry for having such a short concert. But today is a day of grief for us." The audience could see tears running down her face, her body shaking with suppressed sobs__._

Oz, the ever so calm and reflective, was visibly shaken. But he managed to continue for her. "Seventeen years ago, on this day, our world was shattered. We watched our best friend die in the most terrible way possible. Tortured to death by a sick bastard, while we were unable to help her. This psychopath had captured us and all of our friends. He_ played games with our heads, while hurting us in every way he could think of. Still, we got off easier, because our friend sacrificed herself. Made him concentrate on her. Buffy survived through torture that would have killed most other people. But finally she died. By then she was unrecognisable. _

"It is, by God, the most terrifying thing I have ever seen. Seventeen years ago, she sacrificed herself so that we could escape. Like she always did. She was always helping somebody. We used to call her the defender of the earth. This song is dedicated to our dear friend Buffy Anne Summers. The light of our lives." 

_Heroes comes in many shapes_

_Heroes comes in many shades___

Heroes of  mind and heroes of  steel 

_She was both. But most of all_

_She was a hero of the heart._

_Such a precious treasure_

A hero of the heart 

_Shades of darkness was her life_

_Trying to kill her light._

_But true heroes can't be silenced_

_They never fade completely_

_She was a hero, and she didn't know it._

_I can't be she said. cause I'm afraid._

_But its easy to be brave when you feel no fear_

The true hero, keeps fighting, despite the fear 

_And she did, and won for us._

_And with that she lost for herself._

_Our Buffy_

As the last tones of the acoustic guitar and Willow's spellbinding voice died away, there was an almost unnatural silence in the concert hall. But then one by one lighters were lit, and from the audience came as with one voice.

_Shades of darkness was her life_

_Trying to kill her light._

_But true heroes can't be silenced_

_They never fade completely_

Willow and Oz looked out at the audience and saw the deep-felt condolences. "Thank you folks," Willow shouted. "Thank you. You have been a terrific audience. And somehow you have made this day a little easier to get through." With that they left the stage empty again. Still, five minutes passed before the audience started to leave.

As soon as they arrived backstage, Willow collapsed on a sofa. Physically and emotionally drained. Oz took her in his arms and rocked her gently, being comforted as much as he gave comfort. They sat there for half an hour, perhapsmore. Then, a knocking at the door.  Willow opened and found an extremely tired looking telegram Messenger. 

"Telegram for Mr and Mrs Osborne. Just sign here, and let me get outa here, he said. "Gee!! Your security here is insane. I have tried all day to deliver these messages. Talk about paranoia," he said as he hastened away. 

Willow gave Oz his telegram. They opened them simultaneously, and had to sit down in deep shock. 

_Dear member of The Slayerettes_

_It is with great sorrow I write this letter. I wish the circumstances _were different_. But I see no other choice than to summon you in the fight for future human existence. A Slayer Vampire recently attacked the Council's tower. This one, named Enya, has been wreaking havoc all over Britain for two years now. Now, she has_ decided to become the ruler of the world. And according to an old prophesy, she will achieve that if the Council is eliminated. Therefore it is of the outmost urgency to find the rest of the Council members and get them to safety. Since I myself am badly injured, I am not capable of doing this on my own. Therefore I beg for your help. __

_The decision to come or not to come, is of such grave importance, that everyone wil get their own letter. No husband or wife can make the decision for his or her significant other.  If you should choose to come, this letter contains plane tickets. You will be met at the airport and driven to my mansion. _

_Yours hopefully_

_Christopher Giles _

_Head_, _Council __of _Watchers___    _

Neither of them said anything. They just started to pack. And their faces had the expression of warriors about to face battle. 

***************************************************************************

_4 June. 2014. Location: FBI Headquarter _

_New York Section._

_15.05.p.m. _

Xander looked down on the telegram. His mind felt like exploding from all the memories that were attacking him. Not again!!! His mind screamed in agony. "NOT AGAIN!!!" This time he had said it out loud. And his colleagues looked shocked at him. Pure rage seemed to radiate from him as he went for the Bosses office. Special Agent Harris notified his boss about his indefinite leave of absence, effective immediately, before he stormed through the office landscape. 

"What's the matter, Xander?" Carol O`Connor looked concerned at her long time partner and friend. 

"Nothing," he said and walked for the elevator. 

"I'll be back Cameron, she said to her husband, who was just telling of his latest run in with Eithne, or the "Celtic Witch" as he called her. She rushed after Xander and reached him just as the doors started to close. 

When they were between two floors she pushed the stop button. "Now tell me Xandman. What is wrong? Is it something with Willow?" He just gave her the telegram. 

After reading it, she hissed like a cat and slammed her hand hard into the elevator wall, leaving a dent shaped as a fist. "Damit," she said. "So your past is back to haunt you. Do you want me and Cameron to go with you?" 

He smiled weakly, and stroked her cheek. "No, thank you. I have to do this on my own. You may have strength and reflexes that rival a slayer, but you don't have the training or experience. And Cameron wouldn't stand a chance. You don't know what a Slayer Vampire is like. If you thought Warlock was tough, You'd better think again. He's a summer's breeze compared to a Slayer Vampire. I couldn't let you face that. But thank you for the offer." He started the elevator again. 

"Are you okay with this, Xander." Her cat's eyes fixed on his eyes. "No," he said and shook his head. "I'm not. But I just have to deal with it. Armageddon doesn't wait for anyone." 

In a rare display of emotion, she hugged him. "Well then, Xander. Good luck.  And remember, if you should change your mind, just pick up the phone, and we'll be on the first flight." 

"Thank you again," he said. "And just in case I won't see you again. You are the best partner a Fed can have. Even though you're a pain in the ass sometimes, and beat the crap out of me in training." His eyes glinted of that typical Xanderly humour that she loved so. "And tell Cameron that he needs to stop ticking off Eithne. He should know better than irritating N`Goahr." 

With that he walked out of the elevator and went straight for his Harley, with a last wave to Carol. 

As he gave full throttle down the road, Alexander Lavelle Harris found him self again painfully walking down the path of war. 

_***************************************************************************_

_4. June. 2014. Location: Angel Investigations Headquarter_

_Los Angeles_

_17.50.p.m._

Angel and Cordelia had just come back from investigating a haunted house that showed to be a sales fraud. "I can't believe that slimeball," Cordy shouted. "He sold these nice old people this house and made them sell it back for a small sum, by pretending to be a ghost. And he has done it for years, without any one getting suspicious. If Cathie O`Brien hadn't been such a smart old lady, he could have continued for ever."

"Well I'm glad we nailed him," Angel said. "But you should have seen him when I put on my game face for a moment. I swear he peed his pants, when I said that the dead didn't like his games." 

"No! You didn't?!" Cordy turned towards him and grabbed his collar. "Tell me you didn't!! What are you trying to do to me! What if the wrong people find out? I don't want no stakehappy Slayer to seek you up and kill you. Next time you might not be able to talk her into reason before she kills you, as you did with Tamara. Don't you get it, you dorkhead? I don't want to lose you. I love you!" 

Angel took his by now almost crying wife in his arms and hugged her tightly. "Relax Queenie, I'm here with you. And its gonna stay that way until we die together, when we're old and wrinkled. I'm never gonna leave you. I swear on my soul, and heart." He placed her hand over his heart so that she could feel his heartbeats. The beautiful feeling of them calmed her down, as they always did.

She hugged him and kissed him deeply. And sent a silent thanks to the Gypsy clan Calderash that restored his life ten years ago. He had kept his powers, but the demon was gone. She remembered with a smile how difficult he had had to get used to sleeping at night and be up in the day. 

Unfortunatelly, to a slayer he still gave of the feeling of a powerfull vampire. And that had caused him a few problems over the last years. Not every slayer was willing to listen to a vampire.  

She was shaken out of her memories by the doorbell. She opened the door and found a telegram messenger. She signed and took the telegrams and opened the one addressed to her as she closed the door. 

Dear member of the Slayerettes It is with great sorrow I write this letter. I wish…………. As she read, her brain screamed NO!!! Not again!!! Mechanically she gave Angel his telegram, then Cordelia Chase O`Rourke, burst into tears as memories flooded her brain. Memories that no amount of therapy had been able to help her overcome. It was only with the support and love of Angel she had been able to build up her life again. But she remembered. By God, she remembered! 

And so did Angel. She could only imagine the pain he felt now. After all, Buffy had been his first real love. And now it had happened again. A slayer had been turned. And it fell upon the survivors of The Invulnerable to fight her. 


	3. Chapter 3

5 June.2014.Location: Christopher Giles' mansion.                                                                  

Cardiff, Wales

10.30.am

**_Alliances made_**

**_(old friends and ghosts from the past)_****__**

Giles and Joyce were the first to come. As promised, a silent man met them at the aiport and led them to a private jet. They were welcomed onboard by a stewardess and the captain. Everything was done to make their flight as comfortable as possible. And after a while they began feeling like royalty. They almost forgot why they were on their way to Wales. Almost. 

The thought that somewhere, someone was experiencing now what they had 17 years ago made their hearts ache with symphatie and sorrow." And as a tag of fear in them was the thought: What if The Invulnenerable were still alive, and teamed up with Enya? Neither Rupert, nor Joyce thought they could bear seeing The Invulnerable again. 

Not to mention that she would probably torture them to death. 

Finally they landed on Cardiff airport, where a black limo waited for them. Driving them to Christopher's mansion. Giles hadn't seen or spoken to his little brother for many years now. They had parted after all that the Council had done to Buffy, and later Faith when she tried to get control over her life again. 

But now they were forced to meet again. 

A butler greeted Rupert and Joyce, telling them that Christopher was sleeping upstairs, but that they should feel free to walk around the first floor and garden. The garden, or rather the park, so big was it, was absolutelly beautifull, and they lost themselves there for a while. As they walked through the house, Rupert was impressed_,_ by the elegant taste his brother had shown when furnishing and decorating the house.    But when they entered the livingroom, he allso noticed a table with one chair for each of the Slayerettes, plus one more. And on the table at each setting, laid a bottle of holy water and a wooden stake. A sight that again brought their thoughts back to why they were there in the first place. 

They were in the garden again, when the others began to arrive. 

Within the span of an hour the whole gang was together for the first time since Buffy died. It would have been a happy reunion underdifferent_ circumstances__. After a brief exchange on their lives for the past fifteen years, they where led upstairs by the butler. _

Giles hesitated a moment before he walked in to his brother, mentally preparing himself for what he would be seeing. Then he opened the door and they stepped in. 

Christopher lay in a bed surrounded by hospital equipment."He sat against a mountain of pillows, various tubes and wires connected to him." He was pale and sweat drops ran down his forehead. His face twisted in obvious pain. 

"Rupert," he said to his older brother. 

"I have been a jerk. You were right all the time. Saying the Council should be more closely in touch with the Slayer. The old ways need to be changed. I can't say how sorry I am for all the damage I have caused. But there is nothing I can do about it now. Done is done. Now the only thing left to do is to try and save what's possible to save. But to do that I need you and your friends' help. And I need you to cooperate with the most unsuspected ally." 

"Because the one I can thank for keeping my life is no other than The Invulnerable. Why she helped me, I do not know. I just know that she says that she isn't that keen on world destruction. But after all her Sire was Spike. And he was known to fight against world destruction. He said he liked the food supply or something like that. There is no reason to trust her on anything else. But this time I think we can. And the fact is, we don't have a choice. She is the only one powerful enough to go up against Enya." 

"Are you insane," Giles shouted. "There is no way that I will work with that monster. I don't want to end up like some mutilated corps or worse!" 

"You have to," his brother hissed and started coughing. When he finally could breathe normally he looked up at his older brother. "Rupert, we don't have a choice. We have to save the world remember. And the only way to do that is this. But I really think she will help us, as crazy as it sounds. She said she had unfinished business with Enya. And never have I seen such hatred, as what she directs toward Enya". What ever has happened, it's personal between the two of them. But now you must go down. Its time for my daily bandage change," he said as a nurse came in. "Go to the living room and wait there for her. I have laid some supplies there to make you feel a little bit more secure. And later if you should need anything, just ask my butler. Now. Good luck," he said and waved them out.   

Giles looked at all the familiar faces that surrounded him. They had all been called to the leader of the Council in a hurry. Plane tickets paid, transport from the airport and everything. All of them were as frightened as they could be. They walked into the luxurious living room. The butler told them to wait there, and Ms Summers would arrive soon. 

They looked around and found the table with one chair for each of them and the extra one they now knew was for The Invulnerable.  Giles had this creeping feeling down his neck the moment before a door opened, and a woman came in. 

Clad in unfrigthening jeans and a sweater, the woman still sent shivers of fear run down their spine. This woman they knew all too well. In front of them stood The Invulnerable. A vampire that once had been their dear daughter, friend, lover, love, rival, lifesaver, surrogate daughter and Slayer, Buffy Anne Summers. 

Giles was the first one to recover from the shock. How dare you show your face again, you bloody bich!, he shouted in pure rage.  Quickly he grabbed the stake and attacked with all the powers of Ripper

It was like running into a wall of steel before he was thrown to the floor, several feet away. Dizzy, he tried to rise, grabbing an outstretched hand that simply lifted him to his feet. Even though he was scaired to the core, he lifted his eyes and looked defiantly into the eyes of The Invulnerable. 

"Shut up and listen," she growled. "What ever you might think, I am not the same as I used to." 

"I don't care if you were Mother Theresa," Giles shouted before he attacked again. He released a roundhouse kick that sent her flying into the wall. Before she could rise he was over her, slamming her head against the wall with all the rage from 17 years of hating her. Then he found himself again flying down the floor after a powerful blow to his cheek. Cold chills of fear broke through his barelly controlled rage, as he saw her eyes starting to glow. Now he would see if she really were going to play nice. In an instant Buffy was back on her feet. Her eyes now bright yellow, she floated centimetres above the floor, towards him. shit! What have I done, he thought. I should know better than to provoke the most deadly creature on earth. She stopped in front of him. Then she closed her eyes and sunk her head, as if in deep concentration. And when she again looked up, her visage was gone. 

"My oh my. Testing The Invulnerable? You still got guts. Well I passed, but don't push your luck. Even though I have fed, I could always swallow down another gallon of blood." 

Giles felt the breath of death when he locked eyes with The Invulnerable. "I don't believe you. What sick games are you up to?" 

"I`ll tell you what sick games I'm up to. I am going to save the fucking world, and destroy that Enya bitch once and for all." 

"But for now," she said with a almost genuine smile. "Its lunch time." Servants appeared and served them a tasteful meal. The mood around the table was so tense and awkward that you could cut the air with a knife. When they finally were finished, the vampire took the word. 

"I'm sorry Giles, about Christopher." The Invulnerable said with an odd mix between a smirk and sorrow. "I didn't know he was your brother. But nevertheless, his health comes second to what I have to tell you," she said. 

Then she suddenly smiled evilly. "So Cordy. How is it going after your miscarriage in January?  A sad story indeed. You always said I was perverted to love a dead guy, and then you go and marry him. That's what I call a 360 degrees turn. Well, maybe 180, since Deadboy no longer is a deadboy. But what the heck! Nice catch.

"And Willow and Oz, the cutest couple in history of mankind. You got married. And you are making like what? Eight digits a year, on your band Spellbound? Way to go!  And as it wasn't enough, now you can share the wonders of full moon together. With the little difference that Willow can control her wolf form."

"The Invulnerable turned to Giles and Joyce. "Well Mom," she said in a mocking tone, "I guess it wasn't enough for you with the candy incident. You had to marry my Watcher. And you didn't even care to tell me that I have a brother. Rude, very rude." 

She looked at each of them in turn, and smirked. "Yeah I have watched your every move. Just in case you tried anything." 

Now she became serious. 

"Well enough chit-chat. These are dark times, Giles."

"Two years ago the Slayer was turned. Since then she has been wreaking havoc all over Britain. Five days ago she attacked the Councils tower. She wiped out nearly every Watcher there, as well as their families. Chris managed to escape with a few Watchers and the Council. The Watchers and council members fled. And at the moment we dont know where they are."

"You know I hate The Watchers Council, but it is of the utmost importance to find the rest and get them to safety. This is because there is a prophecy that says Enya will rule the world when the Council is gone. 

"Now! Council members are carrying tracking devices, so it should be possible to track them down. But time is of the essence. That's where you guys come into the picture. Together you and me are gonna get the Council safe, and then me and Enya will have the catfight of the millennium. Quite frankly I'm looking forward to it.

"My God, how I'm looking forward to it," she hissed. And in an instant she had vamped out. 

Then she saw the frightened looks on their faces. "Sorry," she said. I have some unfinished business with her. Now well! I had promised myself never to bother you guys again. I got tired of your resistance. But now I have to. I can't do this myself." 

The silence was deafening, as everyone's eyes fixed on her. Then Xander walked up to her. "Do you really expect us to just believe that you've suddenly gotten nice again? Well I, for one, don't. I think this is some scheme of yours so that you can have fun killing us." 

"No. Its not." The Invulnerable hissed. "And I sure as hell ain't nice. But I have one thing in common with my late Sire: I like this world, and I don't want it to go under. As Spike said, it has a nice foodsupply. And if working with you guys is needed to save the world, then I'll do it. "Any more objections?" She looked around with an evil gleam in her eyes. "Now then, here`s what you`ll do. 

"Now! Willow and Oz. Your job is to hack into one of NASA's satellites, and use it to track down the members of the Council." 

"Hey! Who do you think we are? Trinity and Neo? To do such a thing, requires a hell of a machine!" Willow was scared beyond anything she had ever experienced. The Invulnerable was demanding too much of them. Willows brain worked overdrive coming up with all the terrible forms of torture she and Oz would suffer when they failed. 

"Relax Willow." The Slayer Vampire let out a short laughter. "I think that you'll find that the hardware issue is taken care of. Or what do you think about an Ochton Three. With a 70000 MHz engine, 350 gigabyte Ram, and a 64 terabyte hard disk, touch-sensitive screen and an extra light pressure keyboard?" 

The Invulnerable chuckled lightly when she saw the expression of excitement in the couple's eyes. "Okay then. The other of us will split into teams of two. As soon as we know where the Council members are, we will split up into these teams:" 

"Giles goes with Joyce. Cordelia goes with Angel. And Xander goes with me." 

"No way!!!" Xander shouted. "I'm not going with you. I don't have a deathwish!"      

The vampire turned to him, and smiled wickedly. "I see you haven't changed. You still speak before you think. You know, I can make you roll over and play dead dog if I want. My hypnotic powers are equal of those of one of the ancient ones. If I decided to, I could make you jump out the nearest window. So don't tell me what you will and won't do, 'cause I got that covered. But I would appreciate it if you came with me out of your own free will. 

"And to ease your concerns. I had a full meal this morning. Meaning you get to keep your blood. I promise I will behave as long as we are on this mission. And when we are finished, you won't see any more of me." 

"Why this kindness?" Xander looked at her sceptically. "Normally we should have been laying on the floor in a pool of our own blood by now. I smell something rotten here." 

"I'll tell you what's rotten," The Invulnerable said. "It's you and your stupid mouth. I suppose you shut up and stop tempting me. Or do I have to remind you that your blood type is AB Negative.  The favourite of all vampires." 

Suddenly she turned away from him, changing the subject. 

"Oz and Willow, the butler will show you to the computer room. You others, meet me in_ the gym. I want to evaluate your fighting skills. But first, you will be shown your rooms so you can freshen up after the travel. So we'll meet again in an hour – no, make it two," she said with a short look at Giles and Joyce.  _

And with that she left without a sound. As if from thin air servants appeared and showed the shell-shocked guests to their rooms.           

******************************************************************************************

5 June.2014. Location: Cristopher Giles Mansion 

The scoobies rooms

11.30.am

                                                                                                                **Facing the past** **(Dealing with ghosts, split ends and broken nails)******

As soon as they got to their room, Joyce broke into tears. To see this monster that wore the body of her daughter was pure torture. 

"Oh God! How am I supposed to work with her and not go insane," she sobbed. To see her and constantly be reminded of Buffy was more than she thought she could bear. "You heard what she said! She has been having an eye on us all of these years. I had hoped to prevent her from knowing about Ashley, But no. You heard! She even knew about Cordelia's miscarriage. What else does she know?" 

"I don't know," he said, "but we have no choice but to work with her. She seems to be more controlled now. Maybe she really can be trusted until this is finished. But then we better run like hell. Cause I don't give a shit for her promise to leave us alone. But as long as she needs us, I think we are safe. 

"Now. You take the shower first, and I will unpack. Perhaps it will all work out. And remember. I will always protect you. I love you." 

Joyce looked up at him and whiped away her tears. "Me too. I love you." Then she headed for the bathroom. 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

In Cordelia and Angel's room, the situation was similar. But it was Cordelia that comforted Angel, although she felt asif her heart was breaking. 

"Oh God! When she mentioned your miscarriage. There she stood and talked_ about it like it was a joke. God help me, I nearly went for her throat. But I couldn't. I couldn't because of the face she is wearing. I know now, at least a bit, how difficult it must have been for Buffy to kill me that time when I lost my soul. I mean, we weren't in love with each others when she was turned. But we were still best of friends. And even after seventeen years, that was enough to stop me. _

"So how she managed to send me to hell, being still in love with me, I don't know. But it shows her extreme strength. The strength that made her such a unstoppable vampire; the strength that made her capable of standing against our attempts to return her soul. And now we have to work with her. I don't know if I can do it."  

"Shshsh, angel of mine," she murmured. "Don't worry, together we are going to get through this. Now lets take a shower. Everything will feel better when we get rid of the travel dust. I swear the air at the airport was some of the dirtiest I have seen. My hair will suffer for weeks," she said as she put her arms around him and steadied him to the bathroom. 

Oh God help me!! She thought as she put on her flirtatious Queen Cordy act. God give me strength, to be strong for him, as he did when I needed it. Cordelia knew it without a shadow of doubt. This was it: her trial. That would show if she really could call herself a slayerette. She had always envied the others' strength and good heartedness, and she had tried to become like them. Now was the time to see if she had succeeded.    

___________________________________________________________________________

"Oh gosh!! We are gonna do it. It can't be real. We are actually gonna steal one of NASAs satellites. Oh dear, oh dear. I can't do this. Oh wait a minute. I already have once. But that was only for five minutes. I won't! I can't!! Look at me Oz!!! I'm shaking all over." Willow stopped her rambling and ferocious pacing on the floor, and looked over to Oz that were sitting on a chair. Strumming a guitar. 

"But an Ochton Three, Oz!! With a machine like that there is no limits. It's so exiting," she said and actually jumped with joy. Then she suddenly got serious again, and sat down before him. "But what about The Invulnerable. What do you think? Can we trust her?" 

"No absolutely not," he said and set aside the guitar. There is something fishy here. Something about her seems. . . not right. I actually think she will go up against Enya. But whom are we best served with? Enya, who has her mind set on world dominance and destruction, and is extremely powerful? Or The Invulnerable, who doesn't want to destroy the world but is even more evil and powerful? 

"I fear that she is using us as puppets in order to get world domination for herself. But as you know, we have no other choice than to work with her. If not, the world will certainly go under."

___________________________________________________________________________

Xander sat on a chair with his feet on the seat, and his arms curled tightly around his knees. Slightly trembling. 

Oh God, Oh God. She's not Buffy. She is not Buffy. "She is not Buffy!!!" This time, he said it aloud, jumped to his feet and started pacing the floor. But every time he thought of her his heart bled. He had called Buffy a pervert to think that Angel was attractive, and now found he himself  hopelessly attracted to The Invulnerable. His heart and body screamed Buffy! While at the same time his mind screamed no! She is not! .As much as he was attracted to her, he hated her deeply. Hated her for all the evil deeds she had done and for what she was. 

He was so confused because every time he looked at her, all he could see was Buffy. And now he was supposed to fight to save the world. With an effort he suppressed his feelings, and started unpack. Then he started doing Tai Chi. slowly he felt his soul gain some peace.  And when the time came for him to get ready his mind was focused and his body relaxed.    

___________________________________________________________________________

5 June.2014. Locationd: Cristopher Giles mansion 

The mansion gym

13.30.pm

The Invulnerable was waiting for them in the living room and led them into an impressive gym. "So, are you ready? 

"Oz, Willow, I changed my mind. I want to evaluate you too. Added to your task of tracking down the Council members and see to the communication between the teams, you will also need to protect Christopher Giles and the other Council members when they get here. I want to see if I need to hire extra guards." 

"Now, who do I test first?" She looked around. "Mom," she said with an evil grin. 

"No!" Joyce said. "I'm not going to fight you. I can't." 

They all saw the irritation in the eyes of the vampire. "Well then, Angel would you be kind enough to fight her? Just so that I can see if she can handle herself." 

Angel looked over to Joyce. She nodded and they both stepped out on the mat. The vampire watched as Angel attacked and continued to attack for about five minutes. And all were stunned to see that Joyce were an expert in avoiding kicks and blows. 

She didn't get in many blows and kicks herself but neither did Angel. Of course, he hadn't used his vampire strength but even without that he was a formidable opponent. Still it was long between each time he scored a hit, and even then they watched how she roled with the punches, minimizing their impact. She moved with a floating feline agility that witnessed of countless hours of meticulous training on footwork and balance. She was using a nearly flawless form of Capoeira that compensated for much of her lack in strength.  

Finally Joyce collapsed to the mat, exhausted. 

"Not bad, not bad at all," the vampire said as Joyce stumbled to her feet. "That was rather impressive for a fifty year old. You are a much better fighter than you were in my Slayer days." 

"Well, I have been training with Angel and Rupert," Joyce said. "I finally got fed up with being a sitting duck in Sunnyhell." 

"Well let's see. Angel! Come to mama." The Invulnerable started to circle the ex-vampire. Then she attacked with a ferocious roundhouse kick combined with a fist to_ thesternum. He gasped in pain but stepped aside and swept her to the floor with one leg and returned the chest strike. She was back on her feet almost instantly and gave him a double stroke to the kidneys and a forehead that made him dizzy for a moment. But now Angel was pissed off. He dug up all he had, stood up and performed a flying spin kick before he locked his legs around her neck and spun her around in the air. Even before she hit the floor he loosened his grip, rolled around and was back on his feet, graceful as a tiger. Still he was unprepared for the storm of kicks and blows she sent at him. So quick that the others had difficulties seeing it, she was back on her feet and attacked with the ferocity of a predator that smells blood._

They traded kicks and blows for a couple of minutes, before The Invulnerable simply grabbed his throat and squeezed. "Hold it. Enough Angel. I said enough!" she loosened her grip on his throat and gave him a flathand stroke to the cheek. "Calm down!" Angel fought back the battle rage and again realised that this wasn't a real fight. He tore himself free and stepped back, with tears running down his cheeks.

The Invulnerable let out a short laugh. "If you had been that good some seventeen years ago, the world would have been swallowed by Achatla. And there would have been no Invulnerable. 

"Now lets get on with it. Xander!" 

For_ thenext hour she tried out the rest of them. Xander proved to be a great surprise for the vampire. Not only was he far__ stronger and faster than she had anticipated. He also easily shifted between Judo, Jiu jitsu, kung fu, Karate, Aikido and something that almost looked like Slayer fighting. _

Oz and Willow also proved to be good fighters, not to mention the_ advantagestheir__ wolfformprovided. Added to that, Willow was now a full-fledged sorceress, with all the powers that came with that. _

The biggest surprise was still Cordelia. As she stepped onto the mat, she was almost unrecognisable. Gone were the makeup and the ice queen act. She was wearing camouflage coloured jeans, boots and a T-shirt with the picture of a vampire with a stake through the heart. And beneath stood:****

****

****

**_Stakem, slicem, chopem. Just get rid of 'em._**

Her face bore the expression of a warrior when she attacked. She moved like a panther. Quick and silent, she moved with a grace none of them had seen since Buffy died. After five minutes of fighting at an incredible tempo, she finally chased The Invulnerable with a series of roundhouse kicks towards the end of the mat. 

The Invulnerable tried to sweep her to the floor. But Cordelia jumped into tiger position and landed on the foot that was meant to throw her to the floor. The Invulnerable gasped in surprise. "Where the hell did you learn the moves of a slayer, Cordelia?" 

The former Prom Queen smirked. "Well, let's see. I was friend with a slayer, I am friend with a Watcher, and I'm married to an ex-vampire that has been helping training slayers for about fifty years. 

The vampire laughed a little. "Okay, I get it. Well, I think that concludes our training session. You all passed. But Cordy, and I don't like to say this. Some of the tricks you pulled, are simply impossible for a normal woman to do. I think, Giles, we'vefound the next slayer. Even though she's twice the age they usually are when they get called." 

"Well, I guess desperate times call for desperate solutions. So, welcome to the club, Cordy. Once again the Scooby Gang has a slayer amongst them." 

"Damit!" Cordy said. "That's what I was afraid of. I do feel a lot stronger than I usually do. Damit!! I never asked for a future of broken nails and split ends. Bloody hell!!!"  She shouted and left the room, leaving the others laughing. Then they grew somber, and Angel voiced what the rest of the gang werethinking. 

"Poor Cordy." 

******************************************************************************************

5 June.2014.Location: Christopher Giles' mansion. 

Afternoon.

**_A whole lotta catching up to do. _**

**_(Willow and Oz are drooling over the computer)_****__**

The day continued with Willow and Oz working on hacking into the NASA satellite, while the rest of the gang inventoried weapons and such, trying to avoid thinking about what was to come. They were let into an armory that was like nothing they had ever seen. Xander was like a kid in a candy store. 

Giles day was saved when he lost himself in the library.

And the few breaks Oz and Willow took, they spent in a room stacked with instruments and notesheets. 

Alltoo_ soon,__ dinnertime__ arrived. When they entered__ thediningroom? Angel was already there, playing the Olympic song from Seoul. _

"Whoa," Oz said. "What the heck? Have you been taking lessons with Richard Claydeman?" 

"Nope," he said, "but you can pick up much in about 260 years." Then he grabbed a guitar, and treated it with the same virtuosity, as he played an acoustic version of the guitar boogie. 

"You see," he said. "A vampire doesn't need to sleep. They just learn to spend the day in a sleep like state. But mostly they are bored out of their mind. So therefore I had plenty of time to practise." 

"Now how is it going with the satellite?" he asked as Cordelia came in and sat down on his lap.  

Willow shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, I guess. We have managed to hide our tracks so far, and have accessed the satellite. What remains is to break the usercode, so that we can control it. So far all our attempts have failed. They have upgraded the security since last time I did it." 

"Do you mean that you have done this before?" A shocked Angel asked. 

"Yes, I did, once. But only for five minutes. Then I had to go. You see, it was this computer shop that showed off this mega computer as an appetiser for the customers. That day there were very few customers, and I got to use it the whole day." Just as she finished telling, the butler came in, telling them that dinner was served. 

Dinner was eaten in a somewhat lighter mood as they discussed what had happened since they last met. 

Giles was teaching history at Sunnydale High, and the library was fully automated -- something that had forced him to join the computer age. And to his great surprise he found himself liking computers. 

When Buffy died, Joyce and Giles had had a hard time dealing with Buffy's death and the arrival of The Invulnerable. Supportingeach_ other__ asbest__ theycould, they found themselves falling in love. They had married and got one son, Ashley.  Joyce had done very well with her art gallery. And she had started a successful netshop for antiques. They were the only ones of the Scooby Gang that had stayed in Sunnydale.  _

Angel and Cordelia lived in LosAngeles. They were the owners and leaders of Angel Investigations, the best private investigation agency in the country. Theyhad branches in every major city, with connections to investigation agencies all over the world. Mostly they took on normal cases, but cases of a supernatural nature still cropped up on a regular basis.

Ten years ago, Angel had finally had it with the mission of vengeance of the Gypsy clan Calderash. They made a great mistake when they kidnapped Cordelia in order to get to him, thinking he had lost his soul again.  

It was a huge misunderstanding. They had sent someone to watch over him, and that person saw him beat a human into a bloody pulp. He jumped to conclusions and informed the Council of the Elders. What they didn't know was, the person he beat up was a notorious killer and rapist that Angel had been chasing for weeks. He had followed a trace of mutilated corpses across four states until he finally got to him. 

 When the Gypsies kidnapped Cordelia, Angel lost the last of his patience. He had sought them out and, barely controlling himself, he had told them a few truths. But now he knew how their minds worked. So he knew that this time they wouldnt bother with the soulcurse again. They would simply kill him. For hours he debated with them and defended himself against their attempts to kill him. But this time he had with him a protection spell that Willow had made, this to the greate frustration of their mages. Finally he got them to understand what a huge mistake they had made in making the curse the way they did.

After heated discussions amongst themselves, they had decided to return his humanity. Since he had been a vampire for so long, he had kept his Vampiric powers and visage. But otherwise he was completely human. A year later he and Cordy had married.

Cordelia had proven to be quite a good detective. After_, _thatis_, she got over her prom queen syndrome. She helped whenever she had time. She had become a famous writer of movie manuscripts. She had successfully starredin__ severalof__ theblockbustermovies too. But to her own surprise she found herself fonder of the writing than the actual acting.  _

And Xander had become one of the best lawyers in the states, with a reputation for taking on the impossible cases – and winning. They called him The Tiger. After the way he took down his opponents: quick, straightforward, and with no mercy. 

When Faith woke after five years in a coma, he was the one that had her cleared of all charges. That was his first victory. For some reason even he couldn't tell, he had helped her through the hard months of recovery. And he had found a completely changed Faith. It was discovered that the Mayor had her under a spell that broke when he died.  For a while they were lovers, but in the long run they were too different for a relationship to last. And then there was that thing with him never really getting over Buffy. But they parted as friends, which they had stayed ever since. 

After being a lawyer for six years, he had been recruited by FBI. He had quickly risen in the grades, and was now one of the leading agents of FBIs New York section.  

Willow and Oz were now married for their fifth year. Their rock band Spellbound had become world famous over night with the hit: Cursed Soul, 

a song they had dedicated to Angel. That was the first of many hits to come from The Magic Duo, as the couple were called. 

By an accident Willow had been turned into a werewolf. And they found that her being a sorceress gave her full control over her wolf self, and to be able to "wolf out" any time she wanted. She was currently working on giving Oz the same capabilities. As_ theywereoften__ ontour,__ theywerepretty__ muchliving__ alloverthe__ world, but kept a penthouse apartment in New York. _

The dinner became a pleasant oasis of relaxation in a desert of tension. And at the end of it they had almost forgotten why they were there. 

Afterwards their fear and tension returned with multiplied force. But at least, to the whole Scooby Gang's relief and wonderment, they saw nothing of The Invulnerable the rest of the day. They were just left in peace to finish their preparations for the task to come. Finally, in the evening they heard a yell of excitement and Willow came running out of the computer room with an almost as exited Oz behind her. Finally they had cracked the user code. Everything was ready for tomorrow. 

  

******************************************************************************************

6 June.2014. Location: Christopher Giles mansion. 

_The mansion living room_

_08.30.am _

**_The Slayerettes goes into action_**

**_(Where the hell are the Watchers? And who is getting who?)_**

They were eating breakfast when The Invulnerable sat down at the table. Every eye was fixed on her as she let out a cold laugh. 

"Yeah, people. It's time for some action. I've located the Council members." She threw a bunch of pictures on the table." 

"Their names are: Patrick O`Malley, Erick Crighton, Alicia Saunders, Arthur Antonov, Constanza Gonzales, Andrea Peters. Ishmael Anderson, Rose Camden, Indra Lightfoot, Katharina Sorenson and Wesley bloody Wyndham Price.

**"Giles and Joyce**, You get to pick up the ones that are still in Swansea. Those are Camden, Antonov and Gonzales.

**"Angel and Cordy**, You're going to London to pick up Anderson, Peters and Saunders. 

"Finally **me and Xander are going to the states; specifically, to New York to pick up O`Malley, Crighton, Lightfoot, Sorenson and bloody Price. Well, I'll give him that much. He had brains enough to get out of the country. **

"You will all be given trackers so that you can pinpoint the exact position of the runaways. We will keep contact through secured cellphones directly connected to a transmitter in the computer room. Did everyone get that? Okay then, be ready in an hour. Oh, and guys… Good luck." 

With that she walked away. Leaving the others stunned, again.


	4. Chapter 4

_6.June. 2014. Location:  Chris Giles mansion, Cardiff. And New York. _

_The hall_

_10.30.am_

**_Waiting for The Invulnerable. And why the hell did that _**

**_(bloody Order of Taraka meddle in our business.)_**

As the others went to their tasks Xander waited for The Invulnerable to come. He was more scared than he could remember ever being, but he should be damned if he was gonna show it to her. She shouldn't get the satisfaction of seeing him afraid of her.

Still, he was pacing the floor nervously when she came, about ten minutes after the others left. She was clad in a king blue tanktop, reddish brown suede jeans and boots. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail. Shortly, it was as if it was Buffy standing there and not a cold-blooded killer. 

"So then," she said. "Lets rock and roll." And that was the last time either of them spoke for hours. They didn't say anything on the way to the airport, they didn't say anything onboard the plain. And they didn't say anything as they got out of New York airport. They just hastened through the parking lot and put their gear into a silver Lamborghini Diablo that obviously belonged to The Invulnerable, according to the licence plate. It read Scooby 96. As she started driving she glanced at Xander. 

"So what's eating you up," she asked. "Oh wait, I know. You can't figure me out. You don't know where I stand. Well let me put it this way. As a Slayer Vampire, I don't need as much blood as an ordinary vampire. And I have been feeding regularly the last week. So don't worry. But try not to look like you are scared shitless. Pull your act together, cause we need to hurry up." 

She pulled out the tracker, and showed him that the five Watchers they were chasing had split apart. 

"The first one is not far from here. But to look for something here is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. My senses can't separate any person out of this stinky noisy city. We need some information," she said. "And there is no Willy we can beat some answers out of here." 

"Don't be so sure," Xander said in a tough tone. For a moment she got a glint of the calm and effective Agent he was. "Remember, you are on my turf now," he stated. "Just turn that corner and park in front of the jewellery" She turned the corner practically on two wheels, and parked outside the store. They waited for half an hour before a skinny man with long raven-black hair came out. 

"There we have our Willy. Actually, his name is Brian. But he'll do. What he doesn't know about what's going on here isn't worth knowing." 

With that he jumped out of the car, while letting out a sharp whistle. "Hey, Girlie! Haven't I told you to get a haircut?" The stranger turned slowly around. 

"Did you call me girlie. No one calls me girlie and gets away with it." He released a roundhouse kick aimed for Xander's head. The next second Brian found himself on the pavement with one foot bent forward almost to the point of breaking. 

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Won't you ever learn? That has to be the, what… 10th time you have tried to clock me? Can't you just realise that you ain't having a snowballs chance in hell against me. Now why don't you tell me what's going on in your neighbourhood before I run out of patience and give you to my associate here. And believe me, she can make a stone beg for its life."  

Brian just spat in Xander's face. "I ain't telling anything to no damned Agent." 

"Oh yes, you are." Xander smirked evilly and forced his foot even higher. 

"Ahhhhrgh!! Okay, okay!! I'll tell you. What the bloody hell do you want to know?" 

"I want to know about five persons running from the night people. Where do I find them." 

"I don't know." 

"AAAAhhh! Okay!! I know of one of them. He is hiding at the black shadows hospice. But you better hurry. I heard that they had a daywalker looking for him." 

"Nice speech. I'll let you go for now. But just a bit of friendly advice: Don't play with explosives. Do you hear me?" 

"Yeah, I heard," Brian whimpered and tried to massage the blood circulation back into his foot as they left him. 

"Now what was that? I don't remember you playing bad guy," the vampire asked. 

"Now well. He owes me big. A few years ago I broke up his heroine syndicate, and he tried to blow me up in my car. I was hospitalised for a month. The damned bugger walked because he could pay with his dirty money for the best lawyer in town. So as soon as I got out of hospital, I sought him up and beat the crap seriously out of him. The poor shit couldn't sit or lay on his back for a week. Ever since, I have beat him up a few times a year, and made him one of my best snitches. Now let's hurry." 

The vampire answered with levelling the accelerator to the floor. 

As they stopped outside the hospice they could hear the sounds of a heavy fight. They followed the sound of fighting to the second floor, where all hell was loose. A short but muscular redhair they recognised as Patric O`Malley were fighting for his life against a giant of a man. Even without a vampire visage, the giant was ugly as hell. His whole face was scarred and one eye was covered by an eyepatch. His ears were slightly pointed and came seemingly straight out of a dirty grey forest of hair. The giant grabbed Patrick and threw him straight against Xander and The Invulnerable. She just stretched out her hand and caught him before she walked towards the daywalker. 

"What is your business with the short one," she asked. 

"I have been ordered to terminate him, and nothing can stop me." 

"Oh. Well then, I'm nothing," she said as she left the floor and released a series of roundhouse kicks that left him bleeding on the floor, A second later she stood over him, and with a triumphant yell she forced a stake through his heart. He looked stunned at her, and formed the word "slayer" before he disintegrated. 

The sudden silence was broken by the metallic sound of a ring falling to the floor. 

"Damit!" she muttered as she walked back to the Watcher and Xander. "I'm afraid things are getting worse," she said and gave them the ring. 

Xander ran his hands slowly through his hair. "Oh dear, the Order Of Taraka. We need to get out of here as soon as possible." 

To the watcher, his voice sounded strangelly calm, allmost casual. While mr O`Malley felt the bile rise in his own throate, as he looked at the feared ring.   

"O God, I'm as good as dead. Nowhere is safe! No one has ever survived an attack from the Order."

"Wrong," Xander said and pointed to The Invulnerable. "She did, so stick together with us, and you'll be alright. Now, we need to find the other Council members. We know that one of the others are somewhere on Wall Street. Do you have any idea of where we should be looking?" Patrick calmed down and thought for a while. 

"Erick Crighton used to be a stockbroker. Try the actual stock market."

"It's almost impossible to find anyone there." Xander sighed in frustration. "Well then, off we go."            

***************************************************************************

6. July. 2014. London 

The Trotter's Rest

15.02.pm.

**_"Bloody hell!! Nobody ever asked me if I wanted to be a slayer._**

**_(Why me!!. Oh shit! I broke a nail. And look at my hair!!!")_**

Ishmael Anderson tried to blend in with all the rest of the people on the pavement, trying not to show his fear, exhaustion and sorrow. He had split up from Alicia and Andrea two days ago. He had said that he would draw less attention as a single person, than together with two frightened women. So he had left them somewhere in the city. But he had soon regretted that decision. 

Now he didn't have anyone by his side, telling him that everything would be all right. And to his own surprise he felt guilty for deserting Andrea and Alicia in such a rotten way. It didn't help that he tried to justify his own actions by saying that in such situations, the only rule that counted was the survival of the fittest. He sat down at an outdoor restaurant and ordered a cup of black coffee and a sandwich; the first thing he had eaten all day. He had been too frightened to think of food earlier. But now he had to eat something. 

He quickly devoured the ham and cheese sandwich, and felt some of the strength return to his body. He was almost finished with his coffee. Enjoying the feeling of the bittersweet liquid down his throat, when his current paranoia told him to look up. He saw a stunningly beautiful brunette hastening towards him. The same brunette he had been trying to shake off for hours now. He turned to run but stopped when he saw a man in a grey suit lifting his gun at him. 

Ishmael did the only thing he could he ducked and rolled under a table and out on the road. He could see the ring on the man's finger, and cold chills ran down his spine. The Order of Taraka. He was doomed, he thought as he felt the bullet making a long rift into his shoulder before it hit a car. His already exhausted body couldn't deal with the pain, and his knees disappeared under him. He looked up and saw the barrel of the gun, and the finger that slowly pressed the trigger. 

Suddenly his attacker's eyes went wide in shock, before he fell to the pavement, unconscious. In front of him stood the brunette. Panicking he got to his feet and ran as fast as he could. He ran 'til he could feel the taste of blood in his mouth. But all the time he could hear her coming after. Finally his running stopped as he came into a back alley with no exit. Like a frightened animal he stood there, backed against the wall and bent into a fighting stance. 

The woman stopped in front of him, eyes glinting of fury. 

"Ishmael Anderson!!! You really need to figure out who is your enemy, and who is not. They have a name for people like you." 

"Paranoid."

She cooled down a bit. "Well, I guess you have a reason for being paranoid. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cordelia O`Rourke." 

"And I happen to be the current Slayer. So come with me now. We need to get out of here before that Taraka guy wakes up. I broke his back, but with those guys you never know."

***************************************************************************

6. July. 2014. New York. 

The Invulnerables Lamborghini.

14.04.pm

**_Starting a new gang. How to get information,_**

**_(how to negotiate. And I hate Russian guns.)_**__

"Damit! We nearly had him." Xander smashed his fist into the dashboard of The Invulnerable's Lamborghini. The trip to the stock market had been a miss. Eric Crighton had been there, but he had escaped. And now they were following his signal trough the streets. 

"Damit!" he cursed again as he looked at the tracker. "He is heading for the turf of The Latino Dragons: The worst gang in town. The leader Damien Rodrigues, has in the last ten years built one of the largest crime syndicates in the states. He is only surpassed by the Mafia and Yakuza, with whom he is suspected to deal with. We have tried to take him down for years, but he is just to clever. How are we ever gonna get to Eric now, with out starting a gang war?" 

"We are starting a new gang," she said. "But first we need to get Patrick here somewhere safe. And I know exactly where," she said, and concentrated on her driving again. 

Ten minutes later, they stopped in front of a luxurious apartment building. Quickly she punched in the code to a private lift that led them straight to the penthouse apartment. On the front door stood Willow and Daniel Ozbourne. 

"You know where all of us lives," he squeaked. 

"Yes," the vampire simply stated as she touched the lock with both hands. Stunned Xander saw an electric blue mist spread from her fingers as she chanted slowly. 

_Metal from metal_

Wood from wood 

_Let my will be done,_

_Let me through this portal_

They heard a sharp click as the lock opened and they were free to enter. 

"When did you learn that," Xander whispered. 

"Willow taught me that. But back then I didn't have the power to make it work." She turned around to the Watcher, "You stay here. Lock the door and you don't open to anyone but the two of us. Did you get that?" He nodded and wondered who this woman was. It was something familiar with her, but he couldn't figure it out. But as they left, he suddenly felt a chIll of fear run down his neck. Who were really his friends, and who were his enemies? 

"So, what now," he asked. 

"Now we go to my place," she said. 

"What?! Are you living here in New York?" 

"Yes I do. Its not far from here," she said, as the car started with the screech of tires. 

Please, do you mind?! There is such a thing as speed limits," he almost shouted. 

She just gave him a devilish grin, and stepped on the pedal. Soon they stopped in front of a beautiful villa. As he followed her inside, he looked around completely stunned. The house was even more beautiful on the inside. There were colours everywhere. But still the only way to describe it was tasteful luxury. 

"First we need to do something about your hair," she said as she dragged him with her to the bathroom. "You practically smell FBI. Take off your jacket," she said, pushing him down on a chair. How do you want to be? Bad ass criminal? Psycho drugdealer, or what?" 

"Bad ass criminal," he answered. "If we are going in there, I might just as well fit in." 

"Okay bad ass it is." 

He watched her quickand_ practicedhands change his appearance. After taking care of his hair, she opened a closet and took out what looked like enough makeup to supply the entire British opera. After makeup she tossed him some clothes. _

When, after two hours, he finally stood in front of a mirror, he stared at himself in shock. Back at him looked a man clad in black leather pants and a white shirt. Over his shirt he bore a rough outwashed Dongery jacket.  His hair was peroxide blond, and would have reminded him of Spike, if it wasn't for the extra 20 cm she had glued to it. It was pulled hard back and secured in a ponytail with a hairband. 

His makeup made it appearas_ if the eyes lay deep. It made them look sharp and dangerous. A disturbing scar ran down the right cheek and disappeared into his shirt. _

"Now, am I good, or am I good," she said. "Now help yourself to some food in the kitchen while I get changed." 

"Excuse me?" he said. "When did vampires start to eat solid food?" 

"Well never, actually. But since I am not a normal vampire, my metabolism can take it, although it doesn't give me any nourishment. But it sure tastes good. Well anyhow, I'll be back in ten minutes." 

Xander did as she said, and got out on the kitchen. He realised that he hadn't eaten since breakfast, and made himself a huge ham and cheese sandwich with a diet coke too. As he ate, he tried in vain to figure out what The Invulnerable was up to. The whole thing was just too strange. 

All the time something hadbeen bugging him. Something was not right with the whole picture. What was The Invulnerable's real purpose for helping them? And why did she act so out of character? He hadn't seen a shred of violence from her since the evaluation. Except when she took down that Taraka guy, and that was called for. More and more, he got the feeling that she was playing some kind of act. 

But for what reason, he couldn't figure out. The nearest he could come, was that she was using them in order to get Enya away, so that The Invulnerable herself could rule the world. But somehow he doubted that. After all she had had seventeen years in which to gain world control. So, why now? He put the last of the sandwich in his mouth and swallowed with the rest of the Coke. And he nearly swallowed it the wrong way, as the vampire came in. 

This was The Invulnerable. No doubt of that. She was clad in a black leather bodysuit, black biker shoes, and a blood red leather jacket. Her hair was taken back in a ponytail with a red hairband, And to complete it all, a pair of Raybans. And that dark atmosphere that had surrounded her seventeen years ago, was back. Fear washed through him like a tidal wave. The Invulnerable was back. 

But in spite of his fear, he noticed something else. She had the body of a full-grown woman. An incredibly gorgeous woman. And not the teenager she had been seventeen years ago. Yet another discrepancy from normal vampire physiology, he thought.

He was shook out of his thoughts as she opened a closet and revealed what only could be called an armoury. There was any conceivable bladed weapon, tons of stakes and holy water?, crossbows and an impressive collection of guns, and rifles. And one Strella antitank missile launcher with ammunition. "Take what ever you want," she said as she pulled out a drawer and selected_ onlyone__ weapon: a vicious looking Navy Seal knife, which she strapped to her right leg._

"Try these" she said and gave him two semiautomatic guns that were connected to his arms with a mechanism that allowed him to draw faster than he thought possible, and to hide them when he wasn't using them. When she saw his disgusted look she grabbed him by the collar and slammed him up against the wall. 

"What is it now, sissy boy!?" 

"No, way!! I know that we have to go in there, and save that Watcher. But I will not participate in a bloodbath." 

She released him. "What do you think of me," she said with laughter. "Do you think I'm stupid? Of course we are not going to make a bloodbath, in the middle of the day, and with cops only a few blocks away. We don't have time for a bloodbath. We are here to get those Watchers into safety, and nothing must interfere with that." 

"But as you surely are aware of, we are going into the lions cave. And we would be stupid if we didn't take with us some kind of weapons. Is your overgrown consciense set at rest now?" He breathed out and nodded. He picked a bowie knife and strapped it to his leg like she had done. "Then lets get this show on the road," she said.   

6. July. 2014. New York. 

Headquarter of the Latino Dragons

17.04.pm

****

****

**_Wreaking a little havoc_**

**_(Why crime definitely doesn't pay in New york)_****__**

****

 Damien Rodrigues, head of the Latino Dragons, was having his daily workout. He loved the hard physical work. He finished on the treadmill and went over to the weight machine, when his secretary came in. 

"Excuse me Sir. But a gentleman and a woman are requesting to meet with you. They say it is important." 

"Say them that I'm not available for the moment. And that they can piss off," he said, frustrated. Never a moment for him self, he was fed up with it. He adjusted the weight machine to fifty kilos, and started to do repetitions at a slow and controlled pace. He had just reached 20, when it knocked on the door and the secretary stepped in again. 

"I'm sorry to interrupt again, but the gentleman and the woman won't leave. They demand to see you." 

"Then call Rico and his goons and let them throw them out. For gods sake, use your brain, woman!" The secretary, Mona, left again, and he could see that she was nervous. Bloody hell, she was never gonna get used to Rico and his men. Still after five years, she was afraid of them. He shook his head in disgust. Such a woozy. But she was a good secretary. Not to mention a magnificent bed companion. He finished his training program and was drying the sweat out of his face when she came back. Visibly shaken, she hesitated before opening her mouth. 

"I did as you said Damien, but it was to no use. They beat the crap out of Rico and his men, and they are still demanding to see you."

"Well then, tell them I am coming. I have to see the two that beat up Rico and all his men." 

She nodded and left again. He took his time and changed before he walked out into the hall. What met him could only be described with words like chaos and disaster. Chairs, tables, artworks; anything loose was lying around more or less broken. Rico's men, all twelve of them, were lying around in the debris, more or less conscious. And in the middle of the chaos, stood a man and a woman that looked like they were ready to attack at any minute. 

The man was tall and muscular. He moved with the grace of a feline. His eyes were those of a warrior.  And according to the vicious scar in his face, he was more than used to fights. 

The woman was stunningly beautiful. She had the face of an angel, and a body that could turn any man stir crazy. Still, cold chills of fear ran down his spine. He didn't know why, but he got the feeling she could kill him any minute. And she probably would enjoy it.

He took all of this in during the second after he entered the room. "Who the hell are you, and why have you taken out all of my security men?" He spoke with a voice that usually made his enemies shiver with fear. But not these two, they stood there self-certain. Like they owned the fucking place, and not he.  

The woman turned to him. "And you are Damien Rodrigues, I presume. Sorry about the mess. But your men gave us a little trouble. But just relax, they will all come out of it. 

Eventually." 

"Why are you here," he asked. "Are you her to deliver a message from The Mexican Warriors?" 

"Nope," the peroxide blonde man said. "We are the leaders of the gang that will wipe out both your gang and The Mexican Warriors, if we don't get what we want. We are the leaders of Masters Of War, and we have come for what's rightfully ours." 

"And what may that be?" Damien snorted

"We know that you are in possession of a certain Eric Crighton, that accidentally came into your turf. You are to hand him over to us now, or be annihilated." 

"Now why didn't you tell my secretary that? She could have told you that I don't have him. But I know where he is. He has occupied an empty apartment building. Its right down the street. You can't miss it. It's the one without windows. Good luck catching him. He has already shot one of my men. As soon as you get into firing range he will shoot. I'll tell you, he has totally lost it. Screaming something about vampires and hellmouth. So, good luck. You'll need it." 

"Well, thank you for the concern, but we'll survive," the woman said. With that they turned and walked away, as if nothing had happened. 

For a moment he just stood there, then he picked up the cell phone, and dialled a number he knew in his sleep, so often had he used it. "Yeah, hello! Its Damien. I need a shootist team outside the old abandoned apartment building down my street. And I need it yesterday."   

As they walked out of the building Xander looked over at his teammate. In the fight he had been shocked how much she moved like a slayer, and not like a vampire. Quick and silent she had disposed of her enemies, with a minimal use of power. Most of the damage on Damiens property, he had caused, while fighting his opponents. 

"Masters of War?" She let out a short laugh. Then she looked at him over the top of her Raybans, with the first hint of humour he had seen. "I like it, she said as her eyes turned yellow for a moment. I definitely like it." then she grew serious again. 

"So how are we doing this," she asked. "It's obvious that Eric is in a very unstable state of mind." 

"One step at the time," he said and started slowly to walk down the street. He stopped just before he entered his quarry's range. 

"Eric Crighton!! My name is Alexander Lavelle Harris. My_ associateand__ I ask for permission to come closer, so that we can talk." It was silent for a long time. Then they saw something move in one of the broken windows. _

"How do I know that you are not a member of The Order Of Taraka," the Watcher shouted.

"You don't. But I can assure you we are not. We are sent here by Christopher Giles to get you to safety. Xander walked a few meters closer before he sat down. Let me tell you about myself. I grew up in a small town in California. Wen the Spanish founded it in the seventeenth century; they called it Boca Del Infierno. Roughly translated, it means The Hellmouth. We just called it Sunnydale." 

"My life was pretty normal. Well as normal as it could be living on the hellmouth. But then, when I was sixteen years old, something happened. A new girl came to town. Her name was Buffy Anne Summers. She was the Slayer. And being around her, my_ friends__ andI learned of the things that goes bump in the night." _

As he told his story, The Invulnerable watched, impressed, as Xander was constantly speaking and slowly walking towards the appartement building. It was obvious that Xander had done this before. She could sense that the Watcher gradually was calming down. And finally after an hour of speaking, they stood in front of the door. 

She saw that sweatdrops ran down Xanders face. His eyes were dark with concentration, and his whole body seemed tense like a violin string. "We are coming in," he said and opened the door. Eric Crighton sat leant into a wall with a Kalashnikov in his hands, ready to shoot them. The Invulnerable walked over to him and took the gun. 

"Now, come with us and we will take you to Christopher Giles. There you will be protected by two werewolves, and later you also will be surrounded by the rest of the Council, the slayer, Angel O`Rourke, Rupert Giles and his wife, the mother of Buffy Summers. It's the safest place you can be. And on the way there, you will be protected by me and Xander here." 

"Who are you," he asked.

"Shit! I had hoped you wouldn't ask that. But well. I'm The Invulnerable. And for the time being you are worthmore alive to me than dead. So don't worry. Just know this: Don't provoke me and you will have the best protection possible against Enya and her goons. I have unfinished business with that bitch."

He pulled away from her, and they could feel his paranoia rise again. But after another half an hour of talking with Xander, he agreed to come with them. 

The vampire nodded to Xander. "Nice work Xandman. It's no wonder the FBI reckons you to be one of their best Agents. Nice work." 

Xander breathed out in relief. He never liked having a gun pointed at him, especially not a Kalashnikov. Some three years ago, he had had an unfriendly meeting with one. He still had the scars from a bullet that went straight through his chest an out his back. He opened the door and walked out, followed by the others. 

The Invulnerable looked at Xander as he reached for the door. His broad shoulders were trembling slightly, and she suddenly realised that the calmness had been a play. He had been scared the whole time. And she couldn't but admire the courage that allowed him to conquer such fear. She saw him walk out, radiating_ relief._

She saw his faint smile of victory disappear abruptly. He staggered as the first bullet hit him, followed by several others. 

"Noooooo!!! You bloody bastards. Not Xander!!!" 

Without thought for anything but him, she leaped out and tried to cover him. But it was too late. He fell motionless to the ground. Desperately she searched the area and located the positions of the snipers. She turned and saw Eric avoid being hit by a millimetre. She slung Xander over her shoulder, grabbed Eric, and left the ground. She landed on a rooftop, right behind one of the snipers. Seconds later, he lay in a bloody heap before her feet; several ribs and his jaw broken. Mechanically she turned around, sat down and took Xander's head in her lap. 

"No! It wasn't supposed to be like this. You weren't supposed to die. Do you hear? You can't die. No!!" 

Slowly she let him down on the ground, and rose. Facing the assassins, with a fury that made her levitate a few inches above the roof. She lifted her hands to release a deadly power beam when she was brought out of her rage with a start. 

Suddenly, Xander jerked up in a sitting possition. Guns ready to fire. Rapidly he fired at one sniper, rolled around on the roof and fired again. With the skills of an expert shootist he disabled the whole team before they could shoot once, by cutting the nerves to their hands. Then he collapsed to the ground with a howl of pain. Slowly he stumbled to his feet, clutching his chest. 

"Damn, that hurts," he said and sat down, back against the chimney. 

"How! How is this possible," she said. Her voice almost a whisper. "I saw them kill you. You were hit by at least five bullets. So how did you survive pulling off that stunt?" 

Slowly understanding lit up her face. "You are Immortal. You are an eternal warrior?"  

Xander let out a short laugh that ended in a painful fit of coughing. "Yeah, I'm a bloody Highlander," he said with dry humour, when he finally could speak again. He pulled aside his shirt and showed her. 

"Its called Titan Kewlar. Thank God for bulletproof wests. I never leave home without it. Especially not when I'm fighting to stop Armageddon." 

She looked at him in astonishment. Then she started laughing so hard tears ran down her cheeks, before she bent down and kissed him passionately. Then her eyes grew big as she realised what she had done. 

"Damit,!" she said as she tore herself loose, and walked to the other end of the roof. 

Xander looked at Eric, who lay unconscious beside him. The shooting had become too much for his already thin worn nerves. Then he walked up to The Invulnerable. 

"What was all that about," he asked. 

Quick as only a vampire can be, she turned around. In full vampmode she grabbed his collar and held him over the edge of the roof. 

"Shut up, or I swear I'm going to kill you." She spoke with a low hissing voice that seemed to take away all his strength, and replace it with pure fear. She held him over the edge for what seemed to be an eternity, before she let him back onto the roof. She pushed him aside and walked over to examine the Watcher, before she grabbed both of them and jumped off the roof.

___________________________________________________________________________

Ten minutes later they arrived at Willow and Oz's apartment. Still vamped, she gave Patrick quite a scare. He tried to run away, but didn't even reach the door before he was drawn back by the hypnotic powers of The Invulnerable. Look into my eyes she said, with a spinning voice that dangerously resembled Drucilla. 

"Look into my eyes, be in my eyes, be my eyes." 

She lifted her hand, and for a moment Xander thought she was going to slit his throat, like Drucilla had done with Kendra. But then she simply led her hand over his eyes in a soft movement. 

"Sleep!" she said, and he fell into her arms. Then she carried both him and Crighton into the bedroom. 

As she came out, she nearly collided with Xander, who had gone after her. Guns ready, he stood there. 

"I know that these won't kill you, but they sure as hell hurts. So out with it. What was that kiss about. And what was all that with me not being supposed to die. Yeah. I heard it." He looked at her. Her face was like a mask. 

"Just forget it. It was either kissing you or biting you," she said as her vampire visage melted away. 

"I don't think so," he said. "I think you have been acting from the first time we saw you in the living room. Now it all starts to make sense. You saving Christopher Giles. Working with us instead of killing us. I knew you were holding most of your powers back when you evaluated us. And then there were you being capable of eating. And your refrigerator was filled with more food than should_ bethere if you only ate for the taste of it. Nowhere didI__ find blood. And your extreme control when you fought those goons at Damiens. There was no sign of unnecessary violence. The old Invulnerable would have tore them to shreds." _

"The more I think of it, the more I believe that The Invulnerable is gone. And has been so for a long time. Isn't that right, Buffy?" 

"Shit, shit, shit," she cursed as she banged her head softly against the door. 

"What happened? When did you get your soul, and life back? Cause up there on the roof i noticed that your hands had normal body temperature. 

She started pacing the floor as tears trickled down her cheeks. "Damit! When did you become so good at deduction? Oh don't say it. It comes with being one of the countries best lawyers and federal agents." 

"Okay then! You got me. When I was turned my soul didn't completely go away. All the time in those six months I was there. But there was nothing I could do. The demon had full control over my body, and all my efforts to break free and stop it were brutally crushed. I had to watch as The Invulnerable tortured my friends, tried to kill my mother. And Angel. How many times did she try to kill him?" 

"It was a bloody miracle she didn't succeed. But I fought against it with all my mind, or believe me, all of you would have been dead or vampire by now."  

"But when I turned twenty, my slayer powers reached their final level. That and my rage when she attacked the hospital for sheer fun, made me strong enough to break free. I had one last show down with my demon back at my lair. And finally I was free." 

She let out a sob, and angrily wiped the tears away. "You can't imagine how it is to watch your own body commit so much evil, and not being able to stop it. And at the same time you feel the demon's joy as if it was your own. It is indescribably terrible. After I finally managed to defeat my demon, all I did for a year was find new ways to kill myself. But all I gained was pain and weakness. I always survived." 

"Finally, one night I had planned to jump from a bridge. I knew it was a shot in the dark, but I was running out of ways to commit suicide. I had chained myself to a Betong boulder and was about to throw it and my self of the edge. Then this red-haired boy came. He mighthave_ been about fourteen. He climbed up on the railing and sat down beside me." _

"You don't want to do that", he said. "I've been there, done that. It doesn't help the least bit. You just get a hell of a time coughing your lungs free from water. Trust me, it's not a pleasant feeling." 

Buffy looked up at Xander and sniffled. "You see Xander, he had grown up in a family situation much like yours, with his parents drinking and fighting all the time." 

"Well to make a long story short, we sat there for -- I think -- hours. He finally made me promise to not kill myself. The next days we used to meet by the bridge, talking and talking. He told me about his life, and I told him what little I could tell him. After a while he figured that I had killed somebody. But he didn't back away. He just kept on being the one thing that saved my sanity. Or rather rebuilt my sanity. Marco really was the sweetest boy." 

"And slowly I rebuilt my life. I became a policewoman, with undercover work as my speciality. I got a few friends, and in reality lived an as normal life as I hadn't done since I was called. But then two years ago, Enya was turned. And my old life came back with a vengeance." 

"I stopped her when she tried to awaken Achatla. But she escaped. I thought she would leave me alone. Itwas_ stupid. She just bided her time. Marco had fallen in love with a girl his age. And they were about to get married when Enya struck. I found his remains on the porch to my house. He was so molested that I couldn't have done it worse myself. She caressed herself and a deep sob shook her body. He was so sweet and kind, and she shred him to pieces. That's why I have sworn to stop her if it is the last thing I do."  _

Xander looked at her in shock. "But why didn't you tell us? Do you have any idea of how much unnecessary fear you could have spared us? For seventeen years now, we have lived in constant fear of you returning and finishing up what you had started, while it really wasn't necessary." 

Xander was so enraged; he didn't know what to do.  He turned away from her and started to pace the floor. It was all he could do to keep himself from going totally berserk on her.  

"For Gods sake, you didn't even tell Angel!! If you had, maybe Cordelia wouldn't_ have lost her baby. She was certain that you were gonna come after her and the child. And now, when we finally meet you again. You continue to play the role as The Invulnerable! Why!!" Finally he lost his temper and turned around to hit her square in the face. _

Instead, he saw how her eyes rolled up into her cranium and she fell to the floor. First then he noticed the huge spot of blood on her jacket. Quickly he lifted her up on the coach. Then he took of her jacket and blouse. And there on her back he found two bulletholes. It was impossible, yet she had managed to get both him and Crighton safe, before she lost conscience. Those bullets had to come out he thought. 

He was about to go to find something he could use for it, when he stunned watched as the bullets where actually pushed out of her, until they rolled down on the floor. Before his eyes, the wounds closed and looked like they were at least a weak old. It was almost unnecessary to put on a dressing. But he did. He didn't know if the wounds could be infected. After that he slumped down in a stressless chair. Five minutes later he was asleep for the first time since he got the call.


	5. Chapter 5

6. July.2014. London 

Outside The Refuge

16.36.pm.

**_Getting Andrea Peters and Alicia Saunders. _**

**_(Angel gets fed up with The Order Of Taraka, and pulls an Angelus)_**__

Andrea and Alicia were stumbling towards a shelter. Both of them were more tired than they had thought it possible. Most of the day they had been running for their lives. Always followed by a dark clad man. Finally they had managed to loose him. But now it was close to sundown, and then the danger would increase tenfold. 

The attack on the Council's Tower had been terrible. Both had lost family members and close friends. And the days after, had been Hell. Sleepless and with little food, they had now reached a state of permanent fatigue and paranoia. They sat down by a table and silently ate the soup they were offered. They didn't notice the suspicious looks they got because of their torn, but obviously expensive clothes. And they didn't see the dark clad man before he sat down by their table. 

Alicia scraped the last of the soup onto her spoon, and swallowed with a sigh of contempt. Then she noticed something dark in the corner of her eyes, and raised her head. She found herself looking at the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was clad in dark earthly colours and a black leather coat. Except for the coat, it was as if he came straight out of a fashion magazine. 

That was, if he didn't have that aura of power and mysticism over him. But when he smiled to her, his whole appearance changed to that of a boyish charm. 

"Finally," he said. "Finally I reached up with you two." He flashed a friendly smile to Andrea who_ was about to run away. "Andrea Peters and Alicia Saunders, I have been chasing you for hours now._

"No, no! Don't be afraid. Let me introduce myself. My name is Angel O`Rourke, and I have been sent by Christopher Giles, to get you into safety. Christopher couldn't come himself because he is badly injured. But he made sure you got the protection you need. My wife is the current Slayer, and I have the powers of a Master Vampire, which I used to be. But I am absolutely no threat to you. As I said, I am not a vampire anymore. 

"Now please come with me. We need to get out of here as a member of the Order of Taraka is approaching." 

The two women stood there, and didn't really know what to do. Could they trust this man? Or was it a trap? Yeah. It had to be a trap. Almost synchronised they turned around to run. Only to face a woman with guns pointed at them. 

Suddenly, the whole shelter was a swirl of running and screaming people. Except Andrea and Alicia. They had reached their limit. With no strength left to fight, they just stood there, waiting for their death. 

"Damit!" Angel growled. "I said we had to get out of here!" 

Quick as a mongoose he grabbed them and sent them flying through the door and out on the pavement. Then vamped out, and with one single punch sent the Tarakan crashing into the wall. 

"When are you guys gonna learn not to mess with me or those that are under my protection?" 

He grabbed the assassin's hands and with a brutal twist shattered her wrists. The guns went flying across the room, as he almost broke her neck with a vicious forehead. 

"I'm getting tired of fighting you guys. Ever since you tried to recruit me some hundred and fifty years ago, I have been wiping the floor with you guys. But you never learn, do you?" 

He kneed her hard between the legs and punched her right in Solar Plexus. As she bent forward, desperately gasping for air, he lifted her by her long red hair and stared into her now frightened eyes. 

"Now take this message to Taraka. If you ever try to meddle in my affairs again, I will gather every living, souled vampire  and halfling in the world. And I will wipe out the whole Order." 

With one last punch to her stomach, he turned around and walked out. There he found The Watchers struggling to free themselves from Cordelias grip. "Well, mission accomplished," he said. "Lets get back to Christopher." 

"What took you so long in there," she said, a_s shepushedthe__ two into the car. _

"Oh. Nothing special," his smile was down right evil."I just delivered a message to The Order Of Taraka about not getting in my way again. They have messed with me and my friends one time too many." 

******************************************************************************************

6. July. 2014.The city of Swansea. 

Blarney Park

19.02.pm.

**_A little rusty on the surface._**

**_(But the engine is still running smoothly.)_**

****

The three of them walked the park with arms on each other's shoulders. The dusk fell silently over the park. To a bystander it looked like the man with raven black hair, the red-haired woman and the Latino beauty were having a friendly walk in the park. 

The truth was entirely different. Arthur and Rose were practically carrying Constanza towards a tool shed. 

"How is it," he asked Rose. "Are they still searching for us, or have we finally shaken them off?" 

"No," Constansa forced out between lips so tightly knitted that they were white. "They are still after us. Those two are definitely not ordinary criminals. They are after us for a definite reason." 

Antonov opened and sprayed something into the room. Instantly they were surrounded by the most intense smell of garlic. Then they walked in and closed the door behind them. 

Constanza Gonzales gave up and sank down on an empty crate. Low whimpers of pain escaped through her lips. 

Rose searched and found a light switch. Then she took off her friend's leather jacket and lifted up her blood-soaked shirt. She quickly took of the bandage and could see what she had been afraid of. The wound had been infected. She did what little she could and dressed the wound again.  

"Stanza!! Please listen to me. You should be in a hospital. A belly wound like that can bee lethal." 

"No," she wheezed behind closed teeth, and looked at them with feverish eyes. "The hospitals are the first place they would look. I have already told you that. I know I am dying, so just leave me. Please leave me, and save yourselves." 

"The hell I am," Arthur said. "We are not leaving you behind. Remember the prophecy. The Council must not die. And we are stronger together. Even if you can't fight, your psychic abilities have helped us avoid enemies every night since Enya attacked. We owe you our lives!" He saw that Rose was finished with the bandages. "So. Then lets get out of here." 

In the short time they had been inside, the darkness had engulfed the park. And they realised they had made a great mistake. To be in a park at night was to ask for trouble. They had just gotten a few meters away from the shed, when Stanza shouted out in fear, 'Vampires!!'  Then fainted."] 

Within seconds they were surrounded by at least five vampires. Arthur and Rose went into a fighting stance with Constanza protected between them. Knowing that they didn't have an snowball's chance in hell to survive, at least they wouldn't give their lives easy. The vampires were about to attack them, when suddenly a man and a woman came to their assistance. 

The woman seemed to be in her fifties and the man to be in his sixties. But God, how they could fight! The woman mastered a sort of martial art they never had seen before. She was never where her opponents thought her to be, constantly and fluidly moving, while she dealtout_ slashes__ witha__ short__ sword, like they were candy. _

But the man, he was even better. He fought with a strength and speed that was inhuman for a man his age. And his eyes were those of a merciless killer.  He was fighting with classical slayer style, with a little streetfighting. He lashed behind him with a wooden stake and was sprayed with dust as the vampire trying to ambush him disintegrated. Without turning to see if there were more, he simply somersaulted over the head of a vampire, turned around and staked him from behind. 

Suddenly the woman yelped in pain as the vampire she was fighting backhanded her. Before she could get to her feet, he was over her. 

"Nice fight, granny," he smirked as he lowered his fangs to her neck. "But now it's my turn." 

"Nope, I don't think so," she said and poked out his eyes with her long nails. Then she kneed him of all her might in the groin, before she twisted around so that she was on top of him. "Merry Christmas, jingle bell," she said as she staked him through the heart. 

"Oh shit!" she mumbled. "That has to be the worst pun in the history of slaying. Buffy made it sound so easy." She turned to Arthur whowas still fighting his first vampire.

"Well, I'll make it simple this time. From dust you came, and to dust you go," she said as she staked him. The cloud of dust became double as Rose finally managed to stake her vampire. 

"Come with us if you want to live. Lets get out of here as fast as hell." The man said, lifted Constanza Gonzales up and led them to a waiting limo. When they all sat in the back of the limo, the couple collapsed,_ headsbetween__ legs,__ exhausted,breathing__ borderlinehyperventilation. Ten minutes passed before they sat up. And Arthur and Rose noticed that the man seemed to have undergone a complete personality change. Gone were the eyes of a killer. Instead he seemed incredibly British and somewhat bookish. _

"You'll have to excuse us for not presenting ourselves. My name is Rupert Giles, and this is my wife Joyce. We were sent by my brother Christopher, to get you to safety." 

"Yeah," Joyce said, "but all day we have done nothing but chase shadows. Every time we thought we had you, you somehow escaped. How on earth did you do that?" 

"I'm psychic," it came from Constanza that just had regained consciousness. "I could sense you. And we were afraid you were working for Enya." 

"No, we are not. But you should know that we have gotten an unsuspected ally in the fight against Enya. The Invulnerable has resurfaced. And believe it or not, she is on our side when it comes to saving the world. In that fact she is like her Sire, William the Bloody. He didn't want the end of the world, either. She saved the life of The Councils leader. And we have been working with her since yesterday." 

"And you are still alive ?" a stunned Antonov asked. "That doesn't sound like The Invulnerable, are you sure it is her?" 

"Yes we are," Joyce stated sadly. "For the first, I am the mother of Buffy Summers. And second, Rupert here was her Watcher. So yes, it is The Invulnerable. But now, let me see that wound of yours," she said and made Constanza lay down in one of the seats. From under the seat she took out a bag of medical equipment. As they were on the way to Cardiff, she tended to the wound in such a professional manner that Giles watched in stunned appreciation. 

"What?" she said when she noticed his surprise. I was training to be a nurse before I got pregnant with Buffy." 

"You never said, Joyce." 

"No, I guess I haven't thought about it for years. But it sure comes in handy." 

She knocked on the window to the drivers seat. "What can I help you with Mrs Giles," the driver asked. 

"We have an medical emergency here. Would you please step on it? We need to get to Mr Giles' mansion as fast as possible." 

"Consider it done, Mrs Giles," the driver said and pressed the accelerator to the floor.

***************************************************************************

7. July. 2014.New York 

The Residence of Willow and Daniel Osbourne

08.43.am. 

**_Mix together Wesley, a Ford Mustang and Area 51._**

**_(And you get a high-speed chase.)_**__

Xander woke up to the sound of somebody pacing the floor. He opened his eyes and saw Buffy mechanically pacing while curling her arms around herself. Clear human tears were running down her cheeks.  

Her head snapped up as she heard him. And what he saw in her eyes was the outmost terror and fear. And in a flash, he realised why she had pretended to still be The Invulnerable. She was afraid. Afraid that if she told them she was Buffy again, they would still hate her for what her demon had done. Not surprising, after how he had treated Angel and now Buffy, he realised with a pang of guilt. 

And as always she was afraid to get close to them, because she truly believed that she brought danger to them. She was protecting them against herself, afraid of losing them completely. 

"Are you still fighting your demon," he asked. 

She stopped pacing and stared at him. She answered with a counter question. "Does this mean that you believe me when I say I am Buffy, and not some soulless killingmachine.?" 

He nodded, and stroked a strand of hair away from her face. She jerked away, as if it hurt. And for a split second her eyes turned bright yellow. She took in a deep breath. 

"No," she said then. "I am in full control. I'm using its powers as I see fit. Except for two things. If I feel strong pain or experience very strong emotions, my demon resurfaces. Then I have to fight it. But it doesn't happen very often, and it's usually quite easy to gain control again. 

In seventeen years I have only lost it once, and that was when Enya killed Marco. Then I went completely nuts for a week. Practically hunting down every single vampire I could find, and giving it a very painful death. But even then, there must have been some kind of control, cause I didn't kill anything living, except for a Moira Demon. I just acted upon a rage that is similar to nothing I have ever experienced -- except maybe for the rage I felt when I fought Faith after she had poisoned Angel." 

"And now when I thought they had killed you, I was about to go crazy. Do you remember what I used to call you? I called you my bestest Xander-shaped friend. And throughout all these years, you remained that. At least to me you were, regardless of your feelings towards me. Never in my life have I felt such a relief as when you regained consciousness."

Xander sensed a felling of warm and quiet joy well up in him. He got his friend back. He felt like hugging her and never let got. Seventeen years of loss and fear was finally over. Buffy was back. 

For a moment a suspicious voice in his head told him not to trust her. But were quickly silenced, when Buffy dried her tears and calmed herself down. 

"Well, we better get going with the rest of our mission. Enya doesn't wait for us. And neither does The Order of Taraka." She smiled at him, and her eyes had a glimmer of enthusiastic determination he hadn't seen since her Slayer days. 

And then only when she was in the best of moods, and felt invincible, he realised that not only was Buffy back, the Slayer was also back.  

Fifteen minutes later, after checking up on the Watchers, they walked towards her car. 

"Well Xander, do you want to drive," she asked? 

"You bet I would," he said and jumped into the Lamborghini with a smile so boyish that Buffy for a moment were brought back to when they all were teenagers. 

"Nice to se you still have some of the boy in you Xander. It's kind of cute. Now. Lets see where Lightfoot, Sorenson and bloody Price is." 

She took up the tracker.  "Well, finally some good news. They are together. And they are actually driving just ahead of us. Lets see if we can pinpoint which car they are in." He pressed the accelerator to the floor, and manoeuvred between the other drivers. Five minutes later, they were driving right behind a black Ford Mustang. 

"Nice driving Xander," she said. "Now. Show me that you have earned your reputation for being the best in high speed chases." With that she opened the glove compartment took out the bluelights and placed it on the roof. 

7. July. 2014.New York 

Black Ford Mustang

10.04.am.

**_Full Throttle_**

**_(And I certainly don't mean the pc game.)_**

Wesley Wyndham Price was driving for the city limits in a stolen Ford Mustang. For the first time in his life he had seriously broken the law. He felt bad for it but they had no choice. It was too dangerous to buy a car out in the open. And they needed transportation. 

For the last five days they had been running from vampires and The Order Of Taraka. And now they were all totally exhausted. As he sat behind the wheel he actually had to bite his inner cheeks in order not to fall asleep. 

His only thought was to get them out of New York and in the direction of Roswell, and the extremely well guarded military station called Area 51. He hoped that therethey could be safe enough to regain their strength and spirits. Twenty years ago, he had sworn the Watcher oath: Never to tell somebody outside the Watcher society about vampires and demons. But now he was desperate. And who would be better to ask for help than people that were used to dealing with aliens. 

He looked aside to the passenger seat. At the age of sixteen she was the youngest member ever of the Council. Indra lay back in the seat. Eyes closed, in what he knew was a trance.  She was so beautiful that he felt a rush of fatherly pride. Not only was she beautiful. But she was also intelligent and gifted in the art of a shaman, which she was training to be. She had taken her mothers last name in honour of the last of a long line of female Indian Shamans. 

A tinge of sorrow went through him as he thought of her mother. Aya had truly been his soulmate. And when she died, he for the longest time had stopped living; merely existing. She died giving birth to Indra, and for the three first years he had hated the child for that. Then he met Kristin, and slowly he had come back to the land of the living. 

Sweet loving, and unbelievable sexy Kristin, he wondered how she was now. Luckily, she had been away on an archaeology seminar when Enya attacked. He thought sixteen years back in time. When Aya died he shut of all emotions, except for his hatred towards the innocent child. But Kristin had changed that.  He had fought it at first. He never had thought that it was possible to have two soulmates. But still he soon found himself loving Kristin just as much as he loved Aya. And that love had made him capable of loving his daughter. 

And over the last days they had grown together as father and daughter, in a way they never had before. Together with Katharina Sorenson they found that they were a magnificent team. Wesley had a vast knowledge of demons and vampires. After the ordeal with The Invulnerable, he had sworn never to feel helpless again. And over the years he had become a very skilled warrior. 

Indra had her mother's ability to go into a trance and sense where the vampires and other threats were. And she was a more than_ capable fighter. _

Katharina had black belts in Judo, Karate and Jiju Jitsu. And she was an experienced street fighter. She knew how to melt into a crowd and disappear in a city. More than once, they had narrowly escaped traps because of her skills in living on the streets; skills she had achieved as a homeless teenager, before she by accident came to see a slayer in action, and the Watcher had taken care of her. This was ten years ago, but she still had that fine-tuned radar that was so common amongst people that were constantly on the run. Wesley looked in the back mirror. She looked so tired. Blood was seeping through a makeshift bandage on her left shoulder, made necessary by an encounter with The Order Of Taraka. 

Wesley turned back to his daughter. "Do you sense something," he asked as he gently stroked her hair. 

"No." Her voice was so low he almost didn't hear it. "No, I don't sense any hostile activity." Suddenly she bolted upright and her eyes went wide open, as she clutched her temples. 

"What is it, Indra! What is it!!" Katharinas voice sounded almost panic stricken from the backseat. 

"Oh God. I can feel a power signature from the Lamborghini behind us. Oh dear. It's the most powerful signature I've ever sensed." 

"Enya," Wesley growled and pressed the accelerator. 

"No Wesley. It's not her. This signature is at least as powerful, but it has a stability that Enya lacks. Who ever it is, we are dealing with someone that may be even stronger than Enya, and is far more controlled." 

He continued to speed up, despite the fact that he had no chance of getting away from a Lamborghini with this old Ford. He clenched his teeth and levelled the accelerator to the floor. Rapidly weaving in and out between the other cars. He could feel his heart turn to ice as he with a start realised who was in the other car. The Invulnerable was back. 

Vaguely he noticed the blue lights on the roof of the sportscar. And shortly after it drove up to the side of the Mustang. With a start he recognised the driver. Although he had long and blonde hair, there was no doubt: it was Alexander Lavelle Harris, Motioning for him to pull over to the side of the road. Wesley tried to escape for a little while longer. But then he was actually forced to the side of the road.  

Wesley waited 'til Xander opened the door, before he pressed the accelerator to the floor, turned the car around with screaming tires, and drove for their life, but to no use. It took Xander less than two minutes to force them to stop again. And this time he was out of the door before Wesley even had killed the engine. With a swift movement he opened the door on Wesley's side and snatched the keys. 

"Well, Wesley. Finally we found you and your fellow Watchers." And as he spoke, the door on the passenger side of the Lamborghini opened and A blonde woman clad in black leather from top to toe, came over. And before Wesley knew it, The Invulnerable had forced Xander aside, and pulled him out on the asphalt. 

Wesley looked into hazel eyes that seemed pitch black from rage. A second later he lay flat on the shoulder of the road, waiting for the deathstroke. When it didn't come he opened his eyes and looked around. The Invulnerable was pacing back and forth over by the Lamborghini. 

"What was that about," he asked Xander? 

"That was probably payback for you sending her to her certain death seventeen years ago. When you ordered her to check out that warehouse, you sent all of us straight into the hands of Spike and his men. And even for the best slayer in history, it became too much, fighting off fifty vampires. If you had done your homework, you would have known that it was an ambush."

"So the reason she punched you, is that you indirectly are the one that turned her. You see. Buffy is back. And this time it is to stay. But quite frankly, we would like nothing more than to see you rotting in hell for what you did to her. However_, _we have been sent by Christopher Giles to get you into safety.  So move over and let me drive. We are going back to Britain." 

Without a word Wesley sat down in the backseat next to Katharina, and prayed for their lives. 

******************************************************************************************

7. July.2014. Christopher Giles mansion. 

Willow and Oz's room.

1.30am.

**_Moonshine in a black pond. _**

**_(Never buy circuits made in Taiwan)_****__**

Willow stretched her body as she woke up, and whimpered in pain. Her neck ached after all too many hours by the computer. It turned out that their communication system had partly broken down. The tracker worked. But their secure cellphones had for some reason broken down. She and Oz had been working on it the whole day, until 12.30am. 

She checked the clock and found it to be only 1.30am. What could have woke her up in the middle of the night. She lay there and wondered. Then she felt it again. Her witchtalent went through her body like a strong omen.   Someone was coming. Quickly she got out of bed and got dressed. 

After listening to her witchtalent again, she decided to let Oz sleep. She could sense no danger, so there was no need for both of them to get their sleep disrupted. She watched him as he, still asleep, moved over to her side of the bed. Her heart beat faster. He was so breathtakingly handsome. She felt tempted to snuggle in next to him and slowly wake him. Making love to him until they both fell asleep again. But her witchtalent wouldn't let her be. 

On bare feet, she walked downstairs and out in the garden. She sat down by a small pond. The water seemed pitch-black, with a weak screen of silver from the moon. And for a moment she felt the wolf writher within her. She did a magic gesture. Every movement in the water disappeared. And the silverscreen densed until the pond looked like a magically glittering mirror. Softly she started to chant. 

**_Water of secrets, essence of life. _**

**_Show me the hidden, show me the truth_**

**_Fire of clarity, essence of life_**

**_Burn the weils of distance, show me the truth _**

As the last words left her lips, flames seemed to run over the surface, and then an image appeared. Slowly it increased in clarity, until she could see it was a black limo. The picture shifted. Suddenly she looked inside the car. She saw Joyce and Rupert, together with three Watchers. Both of them seemed exhausted, like after a hard fight. Joyce treated a nasty belly wound on one of the Watchers. And Willow heard a broken piece of dialogue, Joyce asking the driver to step on it. Then a shiver went through the image, and the water was again pitch black. 

Willow stood up and walked back to the house, where she set up the emergency equipment in a small room. She was just finishing when she heard the limo drive up in front of the house.    

The next hour she and Joyce spent_ doing everything they could for Constanza Gonzales. With the combined resources of modern medicine and magic, they managed to stop the beginning blood poisoning and Gangria that had attacked the Watcher. Finally she fell into a peaceful and healing sleep. Then the two women took care of the others. It showed that both Arthur and Rose had injuries from that dreadful day when Enya attacked. When finished Rupert and Joyce barely managed to get upstairs to their room before they collapsed from exhaustion. _

After showing the Watchers to their rooms, Willow silently returned to her own room. Exausted she snuggled tightly into Oz, and laid her arm around him. She kissed him gently on the cheek. 

"What's the matter honey," he murmured as he halfway woke. 

"Nothing, beloved. Just hold me," she said. He did, and she felt secure and almost peaceful for the first time since the concert. She hugged him, and together they drifted off into sleep again.

 It was 11:00am before Willow again felt the omen. Aswith last time, it didn't take long before Angel and Cordelia arrived. With their three Watchers, more than half of the Council was now present. 

Now they were only waiting for Xander and The Invulnerable. And as the time slowly creeped on its way, Willow found herself more and more afraid. What could have happened to Xander? Her imagination came up with increasingly terrible images of what could have happened. And one that sort of got stuck, was that he had been turned by The invulnerable. 

She and Oz were back in the computer room. Both of them were working like madmen in order to fix the cellphones, as well as to try to get their mind off what could have happened to Xander. Finally they found that the fault was on the circuits inside the transmitter. Oz began working on that while Willow saw to it that they kept the control over the NASA satellite. This became more and more difficult as NASA put more and more effort in getting the satellite back. She was in the middle of a hacker war when Oz came with one of his rare outbursts, meaning he was either extremely happy or unhappy about something. 

"YES!!" "Finally I got it right. Now, here is a cellphone. I'll take over for you, while you call Xander." Willow took the phone and punched in the numbers with shaky fingers.


	6. Chapter 6

7. July. 2014.Cardiff Airport 

_The luggage arrival_

_13.08.pm_

**_Arrival at the Airport._**

**_(The greatest fear of Elisabeth "Buffy" Summers)_**

Xander and Buffy walked off the plain in silence. Followed by the Watchers.  The two of them had had a long and heated discussion about her telling the rest of The Gang who she really was. He had tried to convinceher_ to tell them that The Invulnerable was gone. _

The whole time, all he wanted to do was to take her in his arms, and never let go. But every time he got near her she drew back, and it hurt. At least when she had been in love with Angel, she hadn't despised his touch. She just ignored it. But now it was like she couldn't stand having him within touching range. She was short and businesslike in her tone. It was like she had built a shell around herself. She had dropped the bad vampire image. Now she was just very impersonal. In a way, that was even worse, now that he knew that she was herself. 

"But Buffy! You have to tell them!" He said as they arrived at the luggage arrival.  "You owe it to them. They deserve to be able to live in peace," he said for he didn't know how many times. "They deserve to live their life, without fearing that you will come and rip their throats out." 

"I know," she said, and he could sense a small crack in the barrier. "But I can't. I just can't." Suddenly she looked like she was on the verge of crying. "I can't and I won't," she said as they grabbed their gear and walked for the exit.  "I can take that they hate The Invulnerable. But I wouldn't stand it if they hated me, Buffy." 

"So all of this masquerade is because you are afraid to face your friends?" Xander mocked her. " Holy burning broccoli!! The Invulnerable is afraid of a few puny humans?!!" His laughter was stopped abruptly as he saw her face turn a ghostly shade of pale. 

"Yes!!!" she shouted, so high, that people turned around and looked at them. "I am afraid, more afraid than I have ever been. I would never have sent for you guys if it weren't absolutely necessary. To be with you guys, frightens me more than you would ever understand." 

As they entered the limo, she was actually crying her eyes out. The Watchers watched in shock as the last string of toughness left her. 

"Don't you get it? I tried to kill my own mother. And Angel. How many times did I try to kill him? And Giles? All of you? How many times did I torture you guys physically and mentally, until you thought you would die, and then releasing you; just to see your painful recovery." 

"Dammit! Xander. You ought to know. You were my favourite torture object for Christ's sake! How can anyone forgive that?!" 

He didn't know what to say, He just reached out and hugged her. And this time she didn't draw back. She held onto him like he was a lifeline. 

"Don't your remember?" he whispered to her. We did forgive Angel. Even I did, though I didn't admit it." 

"But that's different," she sobbed. "Angel wasn't responsible for Angelus' actions. When Angelus reigned, Angel was completely gone. That wasn't the case with me. All the time The Invulnerable wreaked havoc, I was there. I should have stopped her. Somehow, I should have stopped her.  I should have tried harder. There has to be something that I could have done. I was the slayer for Gods sake!!!." 

"I should have stopped her!!!" 

"I should have stopped her." 

He rocked her gently, stroking her back as if comforting a child after a nightmare.

"You did stop her," he said softly. "You did everything possible to stop her. Listen to me Buffy. There was nothing more you could do." 

"But it wasn't enough," she sobbed. Her body wracked in violent sobs, she screamed out her anguish. Crying out the last seventeen years of pain. He wished he could take away that pain. But that was one thing he couldn't do she had to work through it on her own. All he could do was to be there for her. And by God! That's what he was going to do. He hugged her even tighter, letting her know that he was there. 

Slowly her screams lessened and her sobs became more frequent. her body went limp, and her head fell onto his lap. He continued to stroke her back and hair, and finally he could hear her breath reach the state of deep sleep. He sat there for a while as tears trickled down his face. It would be tough for her. He knew that. But he would help her as well as he could. He hesitated for a moment. Then he bent down and kissed her gently on her forehead. 

He looked down on her face and noticed how innocent she looked. The sight stunned him. She was so beautiful. How long he was watching her sleep, he didn't know. Finally he was startled out of his admiration by the sound of the cellphone ringing. "Bloody hell," he muttered. "Now that the mission is over, it works." He lifted it to his ear, and had to move it away again as Willow shouted at him. 

"Xander! How are you? Oh please don't say that she has done something to you. Xander are you still breathing? Where are you? And the Watchers? Are any of them alive? Where is she? Has she been terrible?" 

"Willow, stop a min…."

Willow continued her rambling seemingly without even stopping to catch her breath.  "And why are you so late? Oh God. She turned you didn't she. Oh God, oh God. How am I supposed to have the strength to kill you? You, who has been my friend for almost all of my life? But I have to." 

"Willow!!! Shut up and listen!" 

He spoke so loud he could, without waking Buffy. "Relax, will you. She hasn't turned me. And we are on our way back now. We should be with you within half an hour. We got all of our Watchers, and everything is okay. Except that she has two bullet holes in her back, and my chest is aching from the impact of five bullets, despite my bullet-proof west." 

It became silent, and he could hear Willows deep breath of relief. 

"Now, how is it going on your end?" he asked her. 

She gave him the run down on the situation. 

"So when you come, we are ready for phase two: the fight against Enya. But quite frankly Xander, I can't see how we have the slightest chance against her. I have read all the material we have on her. And she seem to be every bit as evil and powerful as The Invulnerable. She has chosen herself a very well fitting name. She has taken the name of one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Death. She is indestructible, and seems to have a blood thirst even greater than The Invulnerable. A bloodlust that is merged with a raging hate for everyone and everything. Every slayer that has gone up against her has lost, within minutes. Faith lasted the longest. She fought her for about five minutes before Death stabbed her in the stomach with one of Faiths own stakes and left her to die. 

"Even before Enya was turned, she was an incredible fighter. She was trained in various marshal arts since she was five. Add to that, she was trained in the ways of both ninjas and Samurai, and therefore and excellent swordfighter. And now you say that The Invulnerable is hurt too." 

"Just let us come back and have a little rest, Willow. I promise that we are fit for fight. But now I have to break off. The Watchers has begun to make trouble." Quickly he ended the phone call, and concentrated on the problem at hand. Of course it was Wesley that made trouble, trying to kill Buffy while she slept. The next fifteen minutes were a frenzy of angry voices, in which Buffy remarkably kept on sleeping. Finally, Wesley was persuaded by his daughter to let Buffy be.

***************************************************************************

7. July. 2014. Location: Christopher Giles' mansion. 

Cardiff, Wales

13.40.pm.

**_Showtime in the Library. _**

**_(Hercûle Poirot couldn't done it better)_****__**

He made quite a shocking entry when he came through the doors of Chris Giles' mansion carrying the sleeping form of The Invulnerable, followed by the final five Watchers. 

Without a word, he carried her up to a vacant bedroom. Gently he laid her down on the bed. He stood there for a while, watching her sleep. Then he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. As he left the room, he didn't see the small, almost happy smile that flew over her face. And he didn't hear her mumble his name with soft longing. 

"The hell with your stubborn fear," he mumbled for himself, as he walked downstairs. "I'm telling the others." When he came down, they were waiting for him. Even Christopher, who, thanks to half-slayer healing and incredible stubbornness, was back on his feet. Barely capable of standing on his own two feet, he had commanded Angel and Rupert to help him downstairs. Now he was sitting in a straight-backed chair, keeping his frightened Watchers at bay by his bare presence. 

As Xander stood before them everyone quieted. He stood there for several minutes, obviously struggling with something. Finally he drew his breath. "Angel, Cordy, Oz, Willow, Joyce, Rupert…." He hesitated for a moment, then continued. "And Christopher! Come with me to the library. I need to tell you guys something that will change much of the current situation." 

They looked after him as he with long and swift steps went to the library. They found him pacing the floor. As soon as they arrived, he locked the door. 

"Now what is it that you have to say?" Christopher was a little annoyed over all the secrecy. 

Again Xander started to pace the floor, before stopping in front of Joyce. "Something happened in New York," he said. "Something so incredible and mind-blowing that I've barely had time to understand it." 

"What did she do to you?" Willows question came as a whisper. 

"Nothing, Willow. But I found out the secret to why The Invulnerable has been acting so strange. The reason was so incredible that I will tell you step by step how I found out, or else you will never believe me. I began to gather clues already while we were here. I guess none of you understood why she helped Christopher, either. Or why she was so controlled. One of the things we remembered of her was her uncontrolled brutality and bloodlust.

"And now she suddenly had this incredible amount of self-control, even when Rupert went crazy on her.

One other thing that came to me as strange was when she sent us off to freshen up. First she said one hour, but changed it to two after a look at Joyce and Rupert. If I didn't know better it would look like concern. And we never saw her feed. The old Invulnerable would have fed on us, or at least right in front of us.

"Then we all left on our missions. When we arrived New York I found that she owned a Lamborghini Diablo. And the licence plate said Scooby96. Patrick O`Malley was the first Watcher we found. We found him fighting an enormous Daywalker from The Order Of Taraka. You should have seen the way she took him down. It was a Watcher's dream: quick and merciless. But with no sign of unnecessary violence.

"Then I discovered that she had been keeping an eye on us for all these years. She knows where all of us live. And we broke into Willow and Oz's apartment. Well not broke. She opened the lock with magic. We left the Watcher there, and went to get the other Watchers. 

By now, Xander had sat down in a chair, running his hands through his hair. Then he told them about the Watcher that had disappeared in gang territory. "By now I was seriously wondering what The Invulnerable was really up to. She took me to a beautiful house in the outskirts of town. 

"I almost choked when I read what stood on the front door: Anne Summers. Inside, the house was just as beautiful. It could only be described as tasteful luxury. The whole house had a homey atmosphere you wouldn't expect in the house of a soulless killing machine. 

By this time, Willow waswiping away a tear and her eyes shined with hope. Xander looked her in the eyes and nodded. Then he continued to tell about the food and the fight against the goons of Rodrigues. He told of the snipers, and her attempt at saving him. He told about when they came back to Willow and Oz's apartment. He told everything that she had told him. At last, he told about her breakdown in the car. 

They all sat there in shock. And their faces showed signs of anger, sorrow, joy, love, hate, relief, and confusion.  

"So what will it be, he asked. What will you do about this? I, for one, have forgiven her for not telling us for seventeen years. She is suffering from Angel's "I'm nothing worth" brooding syndrome". And as you know, it took him more than a century to get over it. And all the other crimes? Well, she never did them. She wasn't responsible for them. No more than Angel was for Angelus' actions. It doesn't matter that she was there the whole time. She had no power over it. But the fact remains: She is scared shitless by the thought that we that were her friends, will hate her even if we know that she is back and The Invulnerable is gone. You all have to decide for yourselves. But I have always reckoned Buffy to be the best damn slayer in history, my second best friend, and the love of my life. So she will have atleast one friend when she wakes up." With that he walked out the door, leaving the others shell-shocked behind. 

___________________________________________________________________________

A few hours later Buffy woke up. The last thing she remembered was crying in the arms of Xander. Damn him. He had probably blown the whistle on her by now, she thought angrily. But if she was to be honest to herself, it was a great relief not to have to act anymore. A tremble of fear ran through her. Now the whole thing was out of her hands. No more hiding, no more running. She just had to face the music. And wait and see if any of them would accept her. Well, at least she had Xander. Sweet funny, Xander. An FBI agent? She still had problems accepting it.  She shook her shoulders, and found that the wounds were healed. She was about to go out, when there was a knock at the door. She hesitated before she answered. 

"Come in!" The door opened and her mother came in. 

"So, I guess the secret is out?" 

"You bet it is young lady. And we two have some serious talking to do." 

Buffy were frantically looking at the pattern on the floor, dreading the moment she would see the hate in her mothers eyes. But finally she had to. She raised her head and prepared for what had to come. She almost expected her mother to have a stake in her hand. Instead she stood there with two cups of Tea. Joyce gave her one as she sat down besides her. 

"I know what Xander said about your time after you got your soul back.  But I want to hear it from you. Why didn't you say anything? For seventeen years I have lived with the knowledge that my only daughter was dead and replaced with a horrible demon. Not one day have gone without me missing you, and fearing for the return of The Invulnerable. So why did you do it." 

Buffy stared down in the cup. Swirling the liquid slowly around. Trying to muster the courage to speak. 

"In the beginning I never thought about making contact with any of you. I was so depressed that the only things I thought of were all my victims, and trying to find a way to kill myself. God, I must have tried everything. Once I even took a shot of Cyanide. But all it gave me was excruciating pain the week it took to get it out of my system. And then I was sick for about a month. That first year my mind was so clouded, that I was more like an unspeaking animal, than a human. My heart beat, I needed oxygen. I needed food instead of blood. But I was not alive. I merely existed. So for that year I think I'm excused." 

"But for all the other years. Well, I guess I was just plain scared. When Marco had helped me getting over my suicidal state of mind, I started longing for you all. Especially you. But I was so scared. Scared of how you would take it. If any of you could ever forgive me. Or if you would continue to hate me. And the longer I put it of, the harder it became, until I was incapable of facing you or the rest. So I tried to put my old life behind me." 

"Not that I could. If you knew how many times I have stayed hidden, and watched you guys. I was there on you and Rupert's wedding. I was there when Angel and Cordelia married. I cried for her and the baby when she miscarried. I`ve been on as many of Willow and Oz's concerts as I could. Sadly I missed their wedding, because they married in the air, on the way from USA to England for a new tour. I waited in the hospital when you gave birth to Ashley. And all the time I wished it were like in the old days, when we were together and shared each other's ups and downs. But I just hadn't the courage to reveal the truth. You see. I could take it if you hated The Invulnerable. But I couldn't take it if you hated me, Buffy. So I never made contact. And when we finally met again, I pretended to Be The Invulnerable." She took a long sip of the tea. 

"Well," Joyce said "if you still were a teenager, I would have you grounded for the next century. Cause you really have messed up things. But I do understand your fear, although it was unnecessary. So I guess, all I can do is to let bygones be bygones. I'm not going to make the same mistake I did the time you told me you were the slayer, and push you away. Not now, when I finally got you back." With that Joyce hugged Buffy tight. "Welcome back Buffy." They sat there a long time. Buffy felt tears of relief trickle down her cheeks. 

Then Joyce rose. "Now, come with me. Let's see the others. I know it will be tough. But remember, Xander, Rupert and I will be with you." 

"Yeah. I know. Its about time," Buffy said, grabbed her mothers hand and walked downstairs.

***************************************************************************

7. July.2014. Christopher Giles Mansion. Cardiff, Wales 16.40.pm. 

**_Old grudges are hard to kill_**

**_(But it is possible to mend fences)_**

****

After clearing the air with her friends, she took a walk in the garden, or rather park, so large it was. She couldn't believe it. Every one of them accepted her back. By now the other Watchers knew it too. And for the first time they seemed to relax and start resting after their ordeal. She sat down by the pond and felt a great strength run through her. For the first time in seventeen years she felt complete. 

Suddenly she tensed. Footsteps came towards her. And she didn't need to look, to know who it was. 

"What do you want, Wesley," she said while stirring down in the black water. "Do you have anything to say? Or were you just trying to sneak up and assassinate me again? Like you tried when I slept in the car? Oh yeah, I know. The whole chaos left me half conscious for a moment. And I heard the sound when you draw your knife. So if you don't have anything immensely important to say, I would advice you to stay away from me. Because, strange as it may be, the only thing that keeps me from killing you is the same thing that wants me to kill you. And that is my soul. I want to kill you so badly I can taste it. But my conscience won't let me. So off you go." 

Half a minute went in deep silence. Then he spoke. "If you want to kill me, then do it. But please spare my daughter, Indra. Don't make her pay for my sins." His voice was clear and with a self-esteem and strength he hadn't_ had seventeen years ago. _

She looked sharply up on him. He was standing in a fighting stance and she could see his muscles flex under his shirt. And in his eyes she could read it. He was ready to fight to the death, for his daughter's life. And as much as she disliked it, she had to admire his courage. 

"I have no quarrel with your daughter. She is not the one who betrayed me; who sent me to my death because he wouldn't listen to someone far more experienced. Someone who knew the psychological profile of the vampire I was going up against. The hell! You didn't even have the balls to go with me. Instead you sent me into the lion's cave in best Council tradition. No strategy, no plan, no backup.

"Just, off you go, and be a nice slayer, and then I may write something nice about you in the journal." 

"And with that you also sent my friends to the slaughterbench. Because, where ever I went, they went, in their stubborn loyalty." By now her voice was trembling, and her rage made her face half transform into her vampire visage. She stretched her hand out and used her power to draw him closer. "You bloody bastard!" she shouted. You killed me. Made me into a monster. Just as certain as if you had turned me yourself." 

Now fully vamped, she watched with great satisfaction the fear in his eyes as he was unable to move. She savored the smell of his blood, and it clouded her mind like a red fog. And for the first time in seventeen years, her fangs slid further out, ready to be used. Slowly she leant in for the bite. The smell, the heartbeats. And then, just as she was about to penetrate his jugular, she noticed it: the heartbeats -- her own heartbeats. And her head fell down on her chest, as sore and violent sobs racked her body. 

"Oh God. I nearly lost control. And for what? Just to nurture a seventeen years old hate. I nearly killed you. I nearly killed you. I nearly killed you." 

The words were repeated again and again like a mantra, as she slid to the ground. Vaguely she felt arms around her shoulders. Strong, warm and comforting arms. It wasn't before she slowly was calming down, that she realised that it was Wesley that were holding her. 

"You know," he said as her body shook in the last sob. "I didn't send you in there to be killed. I was young and inexperienced, fresh from Watcher Academy. And in my vast theoretical knowledge I didn't realise how important experience was. At the Watchers tower, I was told how I would take over after this "half old loser", as I called him, that had constantly been disobeying Watcher rules and Council orders. So well, I ignored his advise.

"If you ever knew how that decision has haunted me these years. How much I have regretted my actions that day -- not only because of all the victims of The Invulnerable, but because I had your death on my consciense. If you ever knew." 

She sat up and looked at him. His face was as tear stricken as hers. They sat there for a while, starring at the pond. Then he spoke again. 

"I was inexperienced then. I'm not so now. I have done my homework on Enya." He gave Buffy a thick portfolio. "This is the best psychological profile I could gather about her. Her working methods. Her weapons of choice. Preferred victims, whereabouts, habits. Any information I could get. I swear to you: if you will accept my help, I will do anything in my power to help you. And this time I will_ go into battle with you."    _

"Well, Wesley," She stood up. "Then I think we have a hell of a time ahead of us. Cause, since we've thwarted her plans for world dominance, she will go for plan B. World destruction. She intends to open up an ancient hellmouth, right here in Cardiff. She told me so herself, last time I fought her. Do you still wanna help me?" She saw the determination in his eyes, and started to go back to the mansion. 

"Yes lets prepare for battle," he said, and followed her. 

***************************************************************************

7. July. 2014.Cristopher Giles Mansion. 

Cardiff, Wales

18.11.pm

****

**_Preparing for the mother of all battles. _**

**_(Xander, when will you start thinking before you speak?)_****__**

The following hours were hectic for everyone. Every Watcher who was in good enough shape prepared for battle. Stakes were made; swords, knives and battle-axes were sharpened. Body armour was chosen. And in control of the whole chaos was Wesley. Efficiently he walked around, helping wherever he was needed and choosing the right people for the right job. Showing what an excellent administrator he had become. 

Xander was busy preparing weapons for everyone. He was just showing Indra Lightfoot a modified assault rifle with hollow wooden Dum Dums filled with Holy water. 

"Look here, child. This Baby can vaporise a vampire at a distance of three hundred meters. Your father wanted you to have this. He wanted you to act as a sniper in order to keep you out of the hardest fight. And I agree. You aren't old and experienced enough for that."  

"But both you and me knows that when it comes to vamps, you can't be too careful. So here you go." He gave her the rifle, body armour, and an assortment of wooden knives, wooden and silver stakes, holy water and garlic spray. 

"Careful with that," he shouted when she grabbed the rifle. "Its not a toy. 

"Now well, go to Willow and ask her for a protection spell. And maybe she can increase your power of sensing vampires, so that you can locate them more easily. And remember: If you should get in trouble, don't play hero. Run like hell and scream for help."  

"Thank you Sargent Harris," she said, and did a mock salute. "You know, if I didn't know better I would think that you were a professional warrior, and not a Fed." 

He chuckled slightly and gave an odd smirk. "You should only know," he said. You should only know. 

"Now! Off you go, girlie. I have more people to help." 

She stopped up in the door and walked back at him. "Good luck Xander. Promise me not to take any unnecessary chances. You know," she said with a devilish grin, as she sat down on the balls of her feet. Giving him a clear view to her impressive cleavage.  "If you were half your age, I would make a move on you. For an old guy you are quite a hunk." 

Then her eyes became dark pools of irritation. "I don't know if you have noticed it, but I'm not a child. And I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." With that she left him slightly blushing. 

"Oh shit," he mumbled to himself. Why did you have to go and offend her? he thought. Of course she's old enough to fight. She's the daughter of a  Watcher, and is training to be a shaman, for Petes sake!. "Xander, Xander," he chided himself. "She is as old as you were when you first fought a vampire." He ran his fingers through the hair. "No wonder she is annoyed. I'm a dirtbag," he said out loud and started pacing the room. 

"I wouldn't say that. Its just that you sometimes still speak without thinking first." 

Buffy walked up to him with a smirk on her lips. "What did you say to her? She was really pissed off. Right now she is wreaking havoc on the poor punching ball in the training room." 

"Well," he said. "I just basically treated her like a child." 

"Xander, that's just about the worst thing you can do to a woman in her late teens. I remember when mom used to do it. I had to restrain myself from kicking her sometimes. But don't worry. Indra will forgive you. I think." 

"Well it's about time I get ready." She walked over to a trunk that stood in a corner. She opened it and started to put on a Bodyarmour unlike anything he had ever seen. It was a completely black suit that looked like something taken out of a science fiction movie. And on her chest the symbols for eternity and death stood in phosphorescent green. There seemed to be no part of her body that wasn't protected -- even her head would be protected by a mask that she didn't yet put on. 

"I sort of borrowed this from a top secret military organisation, specialising in extreme weaponry. This suit is itself a weapon. It would make Batman drool." 

Then she started to strap a small arsenal of weapons to the suit. Finally she reached to the bottom of the trunk and pulled out two blood red Katanas that went into in-built scabbards on the back of the suit. 

"Good Golly Miss Molly!" Xander breathed. "You look like a female mix between Spawn and a ninja Master." 

"Well that's the point," she said. "Fear is a mighty weapon. I should know."  Suddenly her eyes were full of tears, and she went over and hugged him tightly. 

She stepped back and looked at Xander with frightened eyes. "Xander, I need you to do me a favour. Tonight I wil fight Enya. It will probably be the most brutal fight I have ever been in. And I am affraid. I fear there is a small chance that I will loose controlle over my deamon. If so happens, I need you to put the Gypsie curse on me". 

She bent down and picked an orb of Thesula from the chest and gave it to him. He hessitated a moment before he took it. "But what use would that be", he asked. "We tried to curse you time after time, and it didnt work". 

"Yes it did, she said. In some small degree it worked. Each time I felt the deamon weaken for a few hours. But even in a weakened state, it was too powerful for me then. That is not the fact now. I am a lot stronger now. And my deamon is allready weakened by my will. So Im farelly sure I wil manage to come back if you cursed me. Would you do that for me?"  

"Why do you ask me?, Im not a mage. Sure, I can the words of the curse. In my nightmares I still see Willow as she cursed Angel, I still see all the times she tried to curse you. Yea i know the words like if they were burned into my brain. But what use is it. I dont have the power to make it work". 

"Yes you have", she stated. "Allmost every person has some level of magic inside. I can feel your magical power. It is a little stronger than the average person`s. It is not by far as strong as Willows, but it is enough to perform the soulcursing".  

Xander took a little time to process this bit of information. Then he looked up at Buffy. "Okay I`ll do it. But I hope by God that it never comes to that". 

"Me to", she said as she huged him again. 

"Xander, when we get down there, whatever you do, please don't die on me. I need you to still being around." The intensity of her plea struck him to the heart, because what he saw in her eyes was more than concern for a friend. 

"I won't," he said. "It would be so boring. And besides, I would miss you." 

She let out a short laugh. "Same here." 

Then she sobered. "When all this is over, we need to have a long talk, to know where we're standing. But for now this will have to do." 

And with that she rose on her toes and kissed him. The kiss grew in intensity until they both gasped for air. 

"What was that?" he whispered. 

"That, my dearest Xandershaped friend, is something I have wanted to do for more than fifteen years now. And every awake moment since last time on the rooftop." With that she turned around and headed for the living room.             

They were all gathered in there for the last planning session before the attack. Buffy looked over the faces of her friends and the Watchers. They had all the grim faces of one that were willing to fight to the last drop_ ofblood. She came to think of the immortal words of Winston Churchill,to the Royal Air Force pilots, after the battle of Brittain: "Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." _

"Well the time has come people," she said as the last of the Watchers entered. 

"Tonight we are going to face Enya. Well, you will face her minions; I will fight her. Tonight she is going to awaken an hellmouth that has been dormant for thousands of years. You know the old castle ruins just outside the town? That's where it's gonna happen." 

"There should be more of us, cause the number of vampires we are going to face are beyond anything you have heard of. But this is our last chance to stop Armageddon. And don't ever think we are helpless." 

"Willow is a very powerful Sorceress, and she is also able to control her werewolf self. She can use it with full control whenever she wants. 

"Oz is the same, now. Willow just finished the last spell for that." 

"Angel still hasall_ ofhis__ vampiric__ abilities_."_ Actually, he is now even stronger. His powers now exceed those of The Master." _

"Well. That is, before I killed him, twice" she smirked. Then she got serious again. 

"Cordelia is The Slayer. With all the powers thatcarries with it."

"Xander is a more than capable fighter. And what he doesn't know is that he is a warrior of the light. That gives him powers that equals those of a slayer." She saw the puzzled expression on his face and explained. "Those powers only appear when you go into battle against the forces of darkness. 

"Giles is a former follower of Eghyon. And when he releases the Ripper within, he is a very powerful fighter.

"The rest of you are good fighters too, so together we make a small but deadly army. We will prevail, no matter what happens. 

"Humanity won't be pushed aside like garbage! We won't allow it!! 

"A little friend of me once read me a poem by Dylan Thomas that moved me. I don't remember the whole of it but here it goes":

_Do not go quietly into that good night. _

_Old age should burn and rave at close of day;_

_Rage, rage against the dying of the light. _

_Though wise men at their end know dark is right, _

_Because their words had forked no lightning they_

_Do not go gentle into that good night. _

_Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright _

_Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,_

_Rage, rage against the dying of the light._

"Now lets show those cursed bloodsuckers just how stubborn the human race can be. She raised her voice until she shouted out with genuine rage. 

"WE WILL NOT GO QUIETLY INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT. WE WILL RAGE, RAGE AGAINST THE DYING OF THE LIGHT." 

With that they all turned as one, and walked out into the night. 

_***************************************************************************_

7. June.2014. The old castle ruins outside Cardiff. N'Goahr ruins. 20.22.pm. 

**_Its no joke defeating death. _**

**_(And I am not talking about Methos, the worlds oldest coward)_****__**

Enya stood in the top chamber of the eastern tower; the only part of the castle that remained habitable. Anticipation raced through her. Soon. In a few hours she would release the hordes of Hell onto the earth. 

There would be so much death. So much beautifully bloodstenched death. And the earth would tremble from billions of screams in agony. All of humanity would at last be gone. And she, Death, would rule for all eternity. She looked out one of the windows, and watched her minions guarding the castle. 

Suddenly she heard a scream, and she could sense the smell of vampire dust. In an instant, the area around the castle was attacked from all sides by small groups of people. Quickly they moved in, killed several of her minions, and then retreated to an unseen place. It was like the earth swallowed them. 

All but one: a woman in a strange black suit with the symbols of eternity and death in phosphor green on her chest. She kept fighting Enya's minions in a way that left no doubt. It had to be The Invulnerable. The legendary first Slayer Vampire. She easily fought ten of Enya's strongest minions at the same time. And while she fought, the rest returned and stabbed her opponents in the backs. 

Again and again those puny humans attacked. But they always disappeared when the odds started to change in their disfavour. But The Invulnerable seemed to be truly invincible. A truly appropriate opponent for Death. Her thoughts were broken off as the humans attacked again, this time with even greater force. "Damit," Enya cursed, as approximately, fifty of her minions disappeared in this attack. And with no casualties on her enemies' side. 

"That's it. Now I draw the line!" 

She lifted her hand to whipe them out with balls of flames. But to her utter shock she found them protected by some kind of magic shield. They had magic? Powerful magic! "Damit!" 

Death closed her eyes and searched for the source of the magic. And found it right away. she practicallyshouted her existence, as if she knew herself to be unbeatable and wanted her enemy to know. Enya opened her eyes and looked right down on the small redhead. 

Shit! A natural born Sorceress, in the service of The Powers That Be! 

Very few of them had existed throughout the centuries. But they were said to have the power to walk throughout the gates of hell and come back unharmed. 

Death thought for a moment to step down from the tower and participate in the fight. But came to the conclusion that it was better to start the last preparations for the opening of the hellmouth. She could easily get new minions. 

"YaaaaHHH!" Joyce tore herself loose with a battle cry, and staked the vampire with the last of her strength. She stumbled towards the magic cloaking shield that Willow, Indra, and Buffy had created. 

As soon as she penetrated the outer perimeter of the shield, her feet buckled and she almost fell. She sat down and leant back against a rock. Goodness Gracious. She was more exhausted than she could remember ever having been. This had been her fifth raid; she had reached her limit. 

She looked up as Xander came tumbling in, sporting a long gash along his left arm. She forced herself to her feet, and got the medical kit. 

"What happened?" she asked as she started to clean the wound. 

"Oh! This is nothing. You should see the other guy. He fits in an ashtray now. 

"By the way. I recognised him from descriptions.  You know those Hyperarmed vampires that The Master Hired to kill Buffy And Angel? We thought he killed them as punishment for their failure. Well, guess what? The three are back. Except now there are only two of them. And the others are soon to begone -- if they aren't already, that is. Last time I saw them, they were fighting Buffy." 

"How is Buffy?" she asked. 

"She is excellent," Rupert said as he came in to get some more stakes. 

"By God! It's incredible to watch her. It's like a macabre, yet beautiful ballet of death. She is every Watcher's dream. She is fighting like a well-oiled machine. It doesn't seem to matter. Whether she has one or ten opponents. She is just this. . . . force of nature. 

"But, how are you, honey?" He looked, concerned, at Joyce. 

"Oh, I'm fine Rupert. I'm just exhausted. No injury. And you? You know you aren't exactly a youngster anymore." 

He sat down, and winced in pain. "I feel like I have pulled every muscle in my entire body. But now we are almost finished. There are only a few vampires left. I estimate that in three hours we have whiped out about five hundred vampires." 

Suddenly Cordelia came falling through the shield with a huge vampire ontop of her. "God Dammit! Get of me! I'm not in the mood for a lovebite now." With that she forced her leg up between his legs with all her might, and the sound of cracking bones could be heard. 

"Nice to know it works on vamps too," she said to the vampire that had curled itself up into a fetal position. She quickly staked him and forced herself to her feet again. 

"Did any of you say that we are almost finished here? Bollocks! She's called in about fifty sword-wielding leftovers from Baltazar's troupe. We just went from worse to worst. These guys are professional warriors." 

With that she picked up a sword and joined the fight again, shortly followed by Xander and Rupert. One by one, the others came and got their swords. Every one of them seemed exhausted, but none were ready to give up.    

Buffy looked around and saw with great satisfaction that they seemed to be winning. Now there were only a few vampires left. She searched the area, making sure the others were okay. None were seriously injured, she saw with  relief. Just ahead of her Wesley was fighting a huge vamp that probably weighed a good thirty kilos more than the Watcher. 

"Do you need help?" she asked. "With this little guy?" he snorted as he threw him over the shoulder with a perfect two-hand throw. "Nah! Don't think so. He isn't the brightest boy I have met. And now he's gotten me pissed off. 

"Nobody calls Wesley Wyndham Price a puny leprechaun and gets away with it." 

With that he kicked the guy in the balls and smashed the hands against the sides of his head, shattering his eardrums. He staked him in the back as the vampires feet disappeared under him. 

"Thank you for the offer," Wesley said, "but I'll manage. It's been years since last I screamed for help like a woman. Wasn't that what you people used to say: That I screamed like a woman?" 

"Yeah, I heard you guys. And it really hurt me, even though it was true. Well I have come a long way since then, Buffy." 

He turned around, and cursed like a blacksmith. "It seems that Baltazar's troupe is back. Its time you grab those swords of yours." 

She looked up from a vamp she was just staking, and saw what he was talking about. With a swift movement she draw her swords and attacked in a flurry of motion. For the first time since the fight started, shefelt the demon writher within her. 

She let out a battle cry that made the whole troupe stop, as she in seconds, spread them around like hay for the wind. But then they managed to pull themselves together again and attacked full force. Shit, she thought. I may be unkillable, but I can be injured to the point that I can no longer fight. And this definitely doesn't look good for my chances to get to Enya. 

But then Cordelia and Xander flanked her, both, sword in hand. 

"Scooby Gang to the rescue," Cordy said with a smirk. "Whose idea was it to get swords for everyone?" 

"That would be me, Cordy." Xander did a somersault over the head of a sword-bearing vampire, turned around and decapitated it with a single stroke. 

And over the whole battlefield sword-wielding vampires were met with drawn swords. Buffy got a glint of Ripper. Withlight_, floating__ motion_, _he__ attacked__ a vampirewith__ a Scottish claymore. Wesley went back to the shield to get a sword, and she started to help wherever it was needed. _

Suddenly she felt the heat from a raging fire behind her. She turned in time to see the dust of a vampire fall to the earth. "Thanks, Willow," she said to the witch. Then, with a katana in one hand and a strange form of Witchfire in the other, she returned the favour as a bunch of vampires ganged up on Willow.   _"_Willow_ justliftedher__ swordin__ a short__ salute_.  _Moving with the fluidity of an experience sword figher and the speed of a werewolf, she continued spreading permanent death for the vampires._

"Aaaaoooooahooooahooooohhh!!!," she yelled against the moon before she jumped right into the_ largest__ concentrationof__ vampires. _

Buffy followed her with her own battle cry, suddenly feeling like_ thefine-tuned killing machine she was, as the hate against Enya and her minions overwhelmed her. Imagesswam__ intoher__ memory__. She kept seeing the grounds around the Council's Tower. She kept seeing the little girl they had nailed to a tree. Tears streaking her face, she finally let her demon out to play. _

She levitated above the battleground and, with a powerbeam sent half of the Baltazar troupe to the ground, where they quickly became one head shorter. After three powerbeams it was over. She grabbed the last vampire and simply tore his head of. 

"ENYA! DEATH, OR WHAT THE HELL YOU ARE CALLING YOURSELF!!! I AM THE INVULNERABLE. AND I HAVE COME TO GRIND YOUR BONES INTO DUST FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MARCO." 

Death came out from the tower. 

"So, we meet again," she said with insane laughter. "What took you so long? I have been waiting for this for months. Finally, a worthy opponent!" 

Now, gameface on, Buffy dropped into a fighting stance. 

"Do you really think you can take me down? You are nothing but a rookie in this game!" 

"Talk is cheap," Enya said and attacked with a furious spin kick to Buffy's head. 

She just shook of the impact and retaliated with a roundhouse kick to the abdomen, and a stroke just below the sternum. Death quickly got to her feet again and released an uppercut and a forehead, then sent Buffy into the wall of the tower with a well-placed kick. Inhumanly quick, Buffy was back on her feet. She left the ground, leaped the distance of five meters. And rammed her feet into the side of Enyas head. Enya tried to step aside. But Buffy amazingly changed directions in mid air, and even added a strike to the Solar Plexus. She followed up with three rapid roundhouse kicks to her stomach. 

"That hurt," Enya said as she got back on feet. "Lets see what you think about this," she said as she released a powerbeam. Buffy just closed her eyes and absorbed the blast. "Thank you for the extra energy she said," as she released a powebeam that hit Enya full force, sending her ten meters down the grass. 

"Like I said: you are just a rookie in this game," Buffy said as she walked towards the prone Slayer Vampire. 

Enya shook her head and was back almost instantly. 

"Not bad for a veteran," she said, "but now I'm fed up." 

She started a series of roundhouse kicks that for a moment seemed to force Buffy backwards. But then she simply swept the feet from under Enya and released a double stroke to the kidneys. Enya howled in pain, grabbed Buffy's hair and sent her flying into the tower again. Then before she could rise, Death threw a silver stake straight to Buffy's heart. 

With a mighty roar of pain, she stumbled against Death. 

"You bloody bitch! You are cheating. Well then, I can too." She grabbed the stake and pulled it out. 

"Ever heard of The X-men? Well, the ones that made my suit definitely have. I just press a button inside my gloves, and tada! Instant Wolverine," she said as long metal spikes shot out of the gloves. With a quick thrust she impaled them into Death's abdomen, and twisted until they broke. Death screamed out in rage and bloodlust, as she pulled the spikes out one by one. She_ licked her fingers. _

"Slayer blood tastes soooo good! Even if it's not pure." 

Finally the last of her sanity gone, she screamed and attacked like a force of nature. Alternating between different styles of martial arts, and magic. In a grand finale she engulfed Buffy in an inferno of flames, and with a powerbeam made the tower collapse upon her. Death let out a short scream of triumph, before her feet buckled under her, and she fell to the ground. Slowly she forced herself back on feet, and looked at her audience. 

The Watchers and slayerettes just stood there in deep shock. Buffy had lost. The world was doomed. They heard Death recite a short spell, and watched as the hellmout came to life. Slowly it began to open, and Death laughed even more madly. But then her smile of triumph vanished, as the hellmouth started to close again. The bloody witch! She had forgotten about the witch!! Willow had stepped forth, chanting in a strong and menacing voice. 

Death turned slowly towards her, and her eyes glinted of madness. "You may be a naturally born Sorceress for The Powers That Be. But you are not a match for me."

"I am nature itself." 

"I am God." 

"I am the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in one body." 

"I am pain." 

"I am decay." 

"I AM DEATH!!!" 

As she shouted out the last words she released a powerbeam against Willow. At first it looked as if she managed to withstand it. But slowly her magical defence failed. She finally fell to the ground, and Death's deranged laughter rang in her ears as she waited for the deathstroke. The Slayer Vampire raised her hands and conjured up a ball of flames between the palms of her hands. 

She was about to throw it, when the earth suddenly shook. An unearthly scream of rage ripped through the air, and the ruins of the tower exploded, as The Invulnerable walked out of the cloud of dust. 

"You bloody amateur!!! Never assume your enemy dead. Well, its time to take the gloves of," she said as she levitated several meters above ground. And then in a flurry of motion, she attacked. Again this strange kind of witchfire was sparkling from her hands as she whaled on Death, beating her into a bloody pulp. 

"You stupid idiot!" The Invulnerable said to the other Slayer Vampire. "You thought you had beaten me?! All you really did was to beat the crap out of that little wimp Buffy. She thought she had defeated me once and for all. Well, all I can say is that she must have been stupid, too. Noone and nothing can stop me. Not even those fools that call themselves The Powers That Be." 

"By the way. Thank you for doing all the groundwork. But you will never release hell on earth. I will." The Invulnerables laughter resembled that of a hyena as she lifted her hand. 

"NO! BUFFY LISTEN TO ME." Xander stepped forth, an Orb of Thesula in his hands. 

"LISTEN TO ME BUFFY. I KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE SOMEWHERE. YOU GOT TO FIGHT HER. I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN, NOT NOW. IF I HAVE TO, I WILL CURSE YOU. I JUST CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN! PLEASE!!!" 

The Invulnerable turned to Xander. "And what makes you think that you will finish reciting the spell before I kill you. You may have powers equal of those of a slayer. Still, you are helpless aga…." 

Suddenly The Invulnerable fell to her knees in the most excruciating pain. 

"Noo! Not again!! I won't allow it. This body is mine. I won't allow it." She shook in violent convulsions as her eyes started burning like torches from hell. 

"Nooooooooo!" she screamed as she fell to the ground. 

For a long time she lay there, motionless. Death saw the opportunity, and crawled to her feet. She grabbed Willows katana, lifted it and levelled it against The Invulnerables neck. With lightning speed, The Invulnerables hand shot out and the sword flew away. 

"Nope. There will be no more decapitation tonight." 

She grabbed Death's head and stared into her eyes. The eyes of The Invulnerable started to burn again, as Death screamed in agony and beams of light tore into her eyes. It seemed like they were locked like this forever, before Death finally fell to the ground. The blonde Slayer Vampire stood unsteadily above Death. 

"Veni Vidi Vichi," she said. "This one is for you Marco," she mumbled. Before she released one last stroke to the still form on the ground. Then her eyes rolled up into her cranium, and she fell to the ground. 

It took a while for the spectators to gather their wits. But then The Gang ran towards the unconscious Slayer Vampires. The first thing they did, was to chain Enya and The Invulnerable securely before they brought them back to Christopher Giles mansion. There they just waited for the two vampires to wake up. 

And finally Death started to move. Her head twisting from side to side, and her eyelids moved rapidly. Then her eyes opened, and burning_ briefly with that hellish fire again, before they changed to her normal brown._

She looked at them with a confused look. 

"Who are you, and why have you chained me up?" she asked with a hoarse voice. 

None of them answered. They just stood there. Waiting for Death's next move. 

"Who are you?" she repeated, this time a little annoyed. She looked from person to person, and saw their fear. "And why are you afraid of me?" 

Still they remainedsilent_. Slowly something vaguely began to surface in her head. Something horrible. And as memories from the last two years started flowing through her mind, Enya cried out in pain. _

"Oh God! Oh no! It can't be. It can't be. It can't be." 

With a scream she broke her chains and crumbled to the floor in violent sobs. 

"What the hell is this," Willow said. "What is going on?!" 

Angel shook his head in disbelief. "It appears that she has gotten back her soul. But how is that possible? No one recited the soul curse." 

"I don't need a curse to return the soul to anyone," Buffy said as she easily broke her chains, and went over to Enya. "Enya here would have defeated her demon on her own, given enough time. But there was no time left; she was totally out of control. So I returned her soul and life. She is now the same as me. An Invulnerable slayer." 

Xander stepped closer. "So, are you… you? Or should we run for our lives?" 

Buffy looked at him with sad eyes. "Don't worry Xander. I'm me. The Invulnerable resurfaced only because I needed her power to defeat Death. She only thought she had taken back control over me. I had full control allthetime. Well, almost. It took me a little while to force her back again. But I did. Don't worry about me. 

"What you shouldworry about, is Enya. 

"She is in a very fragile state of mind. And she needs all the support we can give her if she is to regain her sanity. When I was at this stage, I was both suicidal and a raving lunatic. But with the support and love of a friend I came through. And so will Enya. And then she will need a Watcher, a Watcher that can aid her in her fight against the forces of darkness, if she should choose to continue slaying.  But also to help her deal with her problems. She lost her parents before she was called, and her Watcher adopted her. Chris!" She looked over to the leader of the Council. "When you have gathered the rest of the Watcher organization, I need you to find a Watcher that is willing to take care of her, to be a father figure for her. Someone that won't just treat her like a weapon, but really care for Enya, the person." 

"That I will," he said. "Be sure of that. And I promise you one thing. That the new organization will be entirely different from the old one." 

"Good," she said, as she lifted Enya and carried her up to a bedroom, leaving the others still shaky after the brief encounter with The Invulnerable. 

***************************************************************************

28.December 2014. Location: New York Outside Hotel Riverton 

_20.30 p.m._

Epilogue (Much can happen in half a year) Six months later 

Constable Joshua Peterson was standing in a corner of the huge room, looking at all the others having fun. He knew he should be happy. It was Christmas, for Christ's sake. But no, it had happened again. She hadn't shown up to this Christmas party either. Every year now he had sent her the invitation, as he did with all his other employees. But she never came. It usually never bothered him that she didn't show up. After all, she wasn't obligated to come. 

But this year it was different. The last time he saw her, it was after a particularly bad mission. She had gone undercover in a youth organisation that was suspected to be the front for a doomsday cult. Undercover for three long years, she had slowly worked herself into the heart of the organization, connecting with the fellow members. Finally, she delivered enough evidence for the police to go in. 

But something went wrong, and the leader blew her cover. In his madness he started killing the youngest children in a desperate ritual to bring forth Armageddon. Alone, she had to take up the fight against him and his closest cadre. And loaded on PCP, they were inhumanly strong. 

How she did it, he still didn't know. When they finally arrived, the leader's cadre lay sprawled around, battered and bruised. She was standing there like something from the deepest pits of a nightmare, her eyes glinting allmost yellow in a insane rage, as she slowly strangled the leader. The man must have weighed more than twice as much as her, yet he was helpless against her despite the blood flowing from a deep knife wound in her shoulder. 

Joshua had tried to pry her away from the man. She_ took no notice of him, before he gave her a flat hand stroke to her cheek. A shiver went through her, and she released the cult leader. That fell coughing to the floor. She started to walk out the door, when her feet buckled and she sank down by the wall. Face in her hands, as deep sobs shook her body. He sat down by her side, and wrapped a blanket around her. _

How long they had sat there, he didn't know. The rest of the team took care of the members, the leader and the unconscious cadre. Finally she raised her head and looked straight at him. 

"I can't take this anymore," she had whispered. 

"Whereever I go, I meet only death and destruction. What is the point anyway?! The bad guys always win in the end. One way or another," she had said and stared him straight in the eyes. 

And what he saw scared him. He saw deep depression and disillusion. Hesaw a strange mix of coldness and pain. And deep down he saw the flickering light of a beginning madness. The signs were painfully common to him. He had seen the battle fatigue and burnout too many times in Vietnam.

And later, he had come to think of it. The warning signs had been there from the day he hired her. She always seemed kind of depressed, but he hadn'twanted to see it. Strong and well-trained in combat, she also had a brilliant mind and a real knack for acting, she was the perfect undercover agent. 

The last months he had beat himself up about this time after time. Not a word had he heard from her since she took the leave on undefined time he had offered her. Six months, and he hadn't even got a phone call. Over the years, they had developed a close relationship. He had come to think of her almost as his second daughter. So this year he had really hoped she would come. 

He shook out of his brooding and walked to the punch bowl to get something to drink. Then he noticed how every male head seemed to turn towards the door. He looked there, and almost choked on the drink. 

There she was. Anne had come. She was clad in a beautiful pale blue silk dress that clung to her curves. The difference was incredible. Who would have thought that such beauty would be hidden underneath those ragged dongery and leather clothes she used to wear? 

First at this point, he came aware that she came with a tall, dark-haired man who obviously adored her, and a woman in her late teens. Joshua gathered himself and walked over to them. 

"Miss Summers, what a pleasure to see you here. Well it was about time. 

How many years has it been, nine?" 

"Actually, it is ten. But I just never was in the mood for a party," she answered. "But this year I have every reason to party. Allow me to introduce my fiancé, Alexander Lavelle Harris, and our adoptive daughter Enya Thompson." 

ENDE


End file.
